Once the complete potential of the country’s green hydrogen ambitions is fully realised, it is imperative that 99% of the domestic workforce within that industry comprises Namibians.
This message was conveyed yesterday by Dino Ballotti, the Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts, and Culture, during the launch of Hyphen Hydrogen Energy’s Green Hydrogen Skills Census at its headquarters in Windhoek.
Thus, the Skills Census, a flagship component of Hyphen’s baseline studies and its National Skills Audit, was conducted as part of its commitments under the Feasibility and Implementation Agreement (FIA) with the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN).
“The aim of the census is to compile a people-centred database of skills for the green hydrogen industry,” Ballotti explained as the keynote speaker at the event.
He further encouraged all eligible Namibian youth to register on the skills database to enhance their chances of employment in Namibia’s green hydrogen industry.
“Hyphen is investing in real, tangible efforts to ensure as many Namibians as possible are meaningfully included and empowered to participate in the green hydrogen opportunity. Recognizing this will be an evolving journey requiring partnership, patience, and persistence. One such effort is what brings us together today. Namibia’s emerging green hydrogen ecosystem requires a wide and interconnected set of skills. From artisans and technicians, to engineers, welders, logistics professionals, data analysts, Health and Safety officers, project managers, and many others. Entire new career pathways will be born from this opportunity,” said Ballotti.
The Hyphen census aims to identify existing skills across Namibia and align them with the critical skills needed to support Hyphen’s project requirements during both the construction and operations phases. Hyphen is working closely with key national stakeholders, including Namibia’s TVET sector, human capital development institutions, regional authorities, and socio-economic development agencies, to conduct this Skills Census.
The census platform enables all Namibians to register their skills and upload relevant supporting documents, supporting another initiative by Hyphen – creating a comprehensive national job seeker database for the GH2 sector. Going forward, the Skills Census is expected to guide the development of Hyphen’s workforce strategy, customised to the specific needs of its project and, eventually, to the broader emerging green hydrogen sector in Namibia.
The data collected intend to develop targeted training programmes and foster institutional partnerships that match education supply with industry demand, ensuring Namibian talent is well-positioned to benefit from upcoming industrial growth. This process is being implemented in close cooperation with the government, under Hyphen’s FIA, and reflects a shared dedication to inclusive and sustainable national development.
Hyphen stated that its green hydrogen project in the //Kharas region is expected to create approximately 15 000 jobs during construction and 3 000 permanent positions during operations. Hyphen therefore urges all Namibians, especially the youth who make up over 70% of the population, to register on the Skills Census platform, participate actively, and share the initiative widely within their networks.
“We also urge Government partners at national, regional, and local levels to support and champion the initiative, so that as many Namibians as possible participate meaningfully in this once-in-a-generation opportunity. This people-centred, data-driven initiative ensures Namibians are not bystanders, but the rightful architects of their future in the country’s green energy transition,” Hyphen stated.
Deon Shekuza, who represents Namibia’s youth and co-founded the Namibian Youth on Renewable Energy (NAYoRE), stated that the skills census can generate valuable data that the youth, some of whom are frustrated by unemployment, can use to find jobs. Shekuza added that training Namibian youth can prepare them for global opportunities in green hydrogen, not just for the Namibian market.
With the official launch of the skills census, Hyphen is establishing a comprehensive workforce competency planning framework that pinpoints essential skills and informs tailored training programmes.
At the event, Martin Wilkinson of Hyphen said, “These programmes will empower and employ Namibians, building local capacity.
As Hyphen and Namibia embark on this ambitious, innovative, and groundbreaking green hydrogen initiative, a diverse and well-trained workforce is critical to its construction, operation, and ultimate success.”
-ebrandt@nepc.com.na