Skills Investment is Nation-Building

At the core of president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s state of the nation address (Sona) last week was a clear and urgent message: Namibia’s future depends not only on the natural resources beneath our soil, but on the strength, skills and productivity of its people.

Skills shortages remain a critical constraint and sustained investment in training, institutional capacity and technology is essential for building a resilient and inclusive economy.

The president’s address was not simply a report on progress. It was a national call to action. It calls on every sector, every business and every employer to play a role in building the skilled workforce that Vision 2030 demands.

The employer training grant (ETG), with a submission deadline of midnight on 5 May, presents one of the most immediate and practical ways for employers to answer that call.

POLICIES AND PROGRESS

The prominence given to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the Sona reflects its growing importance in our development agenda.

Enrolment has increased to more than 13 000 trainees, supported by the expansion of infrastructure such as the Nkurenkuru and Keetmanshoop vocational training centres.

New programmes aligned to emerging sectors like green hydrogen, renewable energy and other future-facing industries are positioning vocational training as a gateway to opportunity.

At the same time, the work integrated learning policy, launched in March, is strengthening the transition from training into employment and helping integrate green and digital skills into curricula.

These are not abstract policy achievements. They are practical steps towards ensuring that Namibia’s workforce is equipped for a rapidly evolving economy.

FUNDING BENEFITS

However, the government cannot achieve this alone. Employers are essential partners in this national effort.

The ETG exists to support that partnership. It enables registered VET levy employers to reclaim up to 50% of their levy contributions, provided they have invested in qualifying training.

This is not a subsidy or a loan. It is a reimbursement of funds already contributed to the national training system, recognising and reinforcing the role that employers play in developing skills.

The scale of this opportunity is significant. For the 2025/26 financial year, more than N$306 million is projected to be available for disbursement through ETG claims.

This represents real funding available to businesses that trained employees between 1 April 2025 and 31 March. Complete and compliant applications must be submitted before the deadline.

Eligible training is broad and inclusive. It covers Namibia Qualification Authority-accredited programmes from levels 1 to 6, industry-relevant short courses, and both in-house and external training interventions.

Even training outside Namibia may qualify, provided it supports vocational and technical skills development.

Claimable costs include facilitator fees, learning material, assessment and certification, as well as travel and accommodation where applicable.

The application process has been designed to be accessible and flexible. Employers can submit via email, courier or hand delivery, with supporting documentation easily shared through digital platforms.

SEIZE THE MOMENT

Yet despite these provisions, every year a portion of ETG funds goes unclaimed.

The reasons are familiar: incomplete applications, missing supporting documents, or delays that result in missed deadlines.

In today’s environment, where the president has emphasised skills development as a pillar of economic resilience, allowing these funds to lapse is not just a missed administrative step. It is a missed strategic opportunity.

The president’s message was clear: ‘No Business as Usual’. For employers, this means recognising that training is not a cost centre but a critical investment in competitiveness, productivity and growth.

It means planning ahead, strengthening internal processes and treating ETG submissions with the urgency they deserve.

So, if your organisation invested in training between 1 April 2025 and 31 March, the time to act is now. Confirm that your VET levy account is in good standing.

Gather your documentation, including course outlines, attendance registers, invoices and proof of payment.

Verify your eligibility and submit your application well before the deadline – midnight on 5 May. After this date, unclaimed funds will be redirected to other national training priorities.

Namibia cannot afford to waste skills, investment or opportunity. As the president reminded us, “we are too few to be poor”.

We are also too few to leave training investments unrecovered and unrealised.

Claim what you have earned. Reinvest in your people. Help build the skilled Namibia that Vision 2030 demands.

• Erick Nenghwanya is the chief executive of the Namibia Training Authority.

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