Selection for 2023 National Skills Competition completed
THE selection competitions for the National Skills Competition 2023 concluded recently and organisers are busy with the final confirmation of selected competitors.
The Namibia Training Authority (NTA), through WorldSkills Namibia (WSN), plans to hold the 3rd National Skills Competition at the Ongwediva Trade Centre from 25 to 30 September 2023.
Selection competitions were conducted countrywide on 21 and 22 April 2023 in 14 skills areas namely, Automobile Technology, Bricklaying, Cooking, Electrical Installations, Fashion Technology, Hairdressing, Joinery, Plumbing and Heating,RefrigerationandAir-conditioning, Restaurant Services, Web Technologies, Welding, Wall and Floor Tiling, and Mechatronics.
As per the norm, the bi-annual competition is open for skilled youth from all education and training institutions, industries and private individuals, preferably under the age of 21.
Winners will represent Namibia at the global skills competition taking place in Lyon, France from 10 to15 September 2024 when over 1 600 talented young professionals from 85 countries and
regions will participate in 60+ different skill competitions – all for a chance to be recognised as the best in the world in their individual skills.
Katrina Newaka, NTA Skills Advocacy Specialist, told Youth Corner on enquiry that after the conclusion of the selection competition, the competition outcome is communicated to the participating
centres for final confirmation of selected competitors.
“This process ensures accuracy and allows the centres to review and validate the results. Only after final confirmation from host centres and selected competitors do we officially share with external stakeholders including the media for wider dissemination,” she explained.
“This is the current stage which is crucial in promoting transparency and providing accurate results to stakeholders and the public at large.”
Last year, Namibia clinched four gold medals, two silver and three bronze during the Worldskills Africa competition held in Swakopmund.
Namibian chef Elizabeth Isai also scooped the best competitor award. Isai is currently competing in the semi-finals of the Global Chef Challenge in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The week-long Worldskills Africa competition brought together technical experts and competitors from eight African countries to compete for a place in the WorldSkills competition that was slated for Shanghai, China in October of that year. However, it was postponed to Lyon, France next year.
WorldSkills Namibia is the national hub for promoting vocational education and training in Namibia.
Through national and international cooperation and development between industry, government, organisations, and institutions, it promotes the benefits of and need for skilled professionals through grassroots community projects, skills competitions and knowledge exchange.