Namibia is undergoing a transformative period in energy development, with significant developments in the traditional and renewable-energy sectors.

Recent oil and gas discoveries in the Orange basin, together with green hydrogen and renewable-energy projects, offer strategic opportunities for economic growth, job creation and skills development, says technical recruitment specialist Workforce Staffing Namibia country manager Julien Karambua.

“The energy-sector growth in Namibia presents an unparalleled opportunity to develop a vastly skilled workforce that aligns with national goals for economic independence and sustainability.”

The country’s drive for localised recruitment in energy-related fields is vital for addressing its reliance on electricity imports from South Africa and Zambia, which recently cost the country N$83-billion, he adds.

With a growing skilled workforce, Namibia is better equipped to build, maintain and expand solar PV plants and other renewable-energy projects, reducing reliance on external energy sources and strengthening its energy independence.  

Local-content initiatives, skills-building partnerships and turnkey employment services will not only address immediate workforce needs but also help foster a resilient, locally driven energy industry capable of supporting future generations, he elaborates.

Projects such as project development company Hyphen Hydrogen Energy’s Namibian green hydrogen project, and hydrogen specialist HDF Energy’s Swakopmund project are pivotal to this transition. While Hyphen’s project focuses on green hydrogen for export, HDF’s initiatives aim to generate baseload electricity for the national grid.

These projects create significant employment opportunities during construction and operation, with potential to expand into transmission and distribution networks. By fostering local expertise and closing skills gaps, workers can transition across various energy sectors, contributing to long-term economic and energy security, Karambua explains.

Hyphen’s project is set to create about 15 000 jobs over the four-year construction period, with over 90% of these jobs expected to be filled by Namibians. The $10-billion project focuses on socioeconomic development and skills-building, including plans to implement internationally accredited training programmes to develop local talent, consequently allowing for locals to progress from unskilled to skilled positions, he explains.

Bridging Skill Gaps
Localised recruitment practices in these sectors are important to drive economic growth and address skills gaps, Karambua asserts.

While noting that high-level foreign expertise remains necessary for some positions, he emphasises that priority should be given to qualified Namibians for all other roles to ensure sustainable development and long-term benefits for the local economy.

On-the-job training should be integrated to upskill the local workforce, and allow Namibians without prior experience to fill lower-skilled positions. For high-skilled roles requiring foreign expertise, a robust skills transfer programme is essential to prepare locals for future opportunities.  

To that end, the country’s energy development is supported by various strategies aimed at equipping local Namibians with the necessary skills. These initiatives include collaborations with educational and vocational training centres, as well as international certification programmes to prepare the workforce for roles in these emerging industries.  

Karambua adds that the Namibian government’s focus on local procurement significantly influences recruitment and staffing practices in key sectors such as oil, gas and renewable energy.

Companies are required to comply with local hiring quotas and invest in training initiatives to meet local-content requirements. This approach ensures that foreign investments foster sustainable employment and directly benefit the local workforce, he says.  

Improving Attractiveness
Another key challenge is repatriating skilled Namibian workers from offshore roles. The lack of current onshore opportunities and higher earnings abroad are the primary reasons why such workers left and remain hesitant to return, Karambua says.

Therefore, establishing consistent employment opportunities through the execution, construction and operational phases of energy projects would provide job security and attract skilled workers back to the country.

He says policies must balance local-content requirements with foreign investment incentives, but warns that excessive restrictions can deter foreign participation and slow project progress.

Further, competitive compensation is required to ensure that returning workers earn rates comparable to those of offshore positions.

Namibia must also develop structural programmes that align workers with local project needs, foster pride in national development and support entrepreneurship among returning workers.

With proper governance and socioeconomic considerations, these barriers can be overcome, consequently enabling the country to leverage its diaspora's expertise to drive sustainable growth in its energy sector, Karambua adds.

Skills Transfer Initiatives
Skills development and knowledge transfer are foundational to fostering long-term, locally driven growth in Namibia's energy sector, particularly in emerging areas, such as green hydrogen, Karambua says.

Initiatives such as mentorship programmes, collaborations with global leaders in energy technologies and local certification pathways build a sustainable knowledge base.

However, effective skills transfer must go beyond having local workers merely assist foreign experts, and should rather involve structured, documented programmes that outline specific knowledge and skills to be imparted, Karambua adds.

By implementing such rigorous systems across all energy projects, Namibia can progressively build a skilled workforce capable of independently managing and executing projects. Over time, this approach will enable the country to meet its energy sector's demands using its own talent, he concludes.