By Koviao Matuzee
Navachab Gold Mine has trained and provided practical industry exposure to more than 100 interns, as part of efforts to give young Namibians a pathway into the mining industry.
The mine spent about N$2.3 million on training and skills development last year, with internships, apprenticeships and graduate opportunities forming part of its broader skills-development programme.
For young people entering a job market where employers often ask for experience before offering a first opportunity, the programme provides a chance to gain that experience in an actual working environment.
Navachab Managing Director George Botshiwe said the mine’s focus is not only on employing people, but on developing skills that can remain in Namibia.
“The true gold of Navachab is our people,” Botshiwe said during a media educational held at the mine in Karibib.
The mine currently employs 911 people, including 179 women, while 573 contractors also support its operations.
Its training programme includes technical and on-the-job training, apprenticeships, graduate and internship opportunities, supervisory development, statutory training, individual development plans and succession planning.
The emphasis on skills transfer comes as Navachab develops its underground mining capabilities, creating opportunities for workers to gain exposure to a different area of the industry.
The mine is working with Australian underground mining specialist Byrnecut on the project, but management says the partnership is also intended to transfer specialised knowledge to Namibian.
For young workers, this kind of exposure can be significant.
It allows them to move beyond what they have learnt in classrooms and gain practical knowledge from people already working in the industry.
Navachab’s youth-related efforts also extend into surrounding communities.
The mine spent more than N$33 million on corporate social investment (CSI) projects, including initiatives focused on education and training, entrepreneurship, employment, health and community infrastructure.
Among the projects are school renovations and hostel improvements, while the mine is also constructing a N$12.5 million SME park in Usakos.
The park is expected to be handed over to the Usakos Town Council at the end of October and is intended to support small businesses, potentially giving young entrepreneurs another route into earning a living.
Other community projects include electrification in the Usab informal settlement, the Otjimbingwe mortuary, traffic lights in Karibib and the Karibib Medical Centre.
But for young people looking for a way into the workforce, the internship programme may offer the most direct opportunity.
The challenge is ensuring that these opportunities lead somewhere.
An internship can provide experience, but young people ultimately need opportunities to turn that experience into employment, further training and career progression.
Navachab says succession planning is therefore an important part of its approach, with the aim of preparing Namibian employees to take on greater responsibility over time.
The mine’s current expansion into underground mining could further increase the need for workers with specialised technical skills.
For the young people who have already passed through its intern- ship and training programmes, the experience could be the first step towards careers that may otherwise have been difficult to enter.
