Staff Reporter
HYPHEN Hydrogen Energy’s (Hyphen) green hydrogen project in the //Kharas Region is expected to create approximately 15,000 jobs during construction and 3,000 permanent roles during operations.
As part of these ambitions, Hyphen has officially launched its Green Hydrogen Skills Census – a national initiative aimed at mapping existing skills across Namibia and aligning them with the critical competencies required for the construction and operational phases of the project.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Dino Ballotti, said the census aims to build a comprehensive, people-centred database of skills and potential. He noted that it will help identify where skills already exist, highlight critical gaps, and enable Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions and other higher learning bodies to respond more effectively.
Ballotti also emphasised the importance of inclusivity, noting that the census gathers detailed data on age, gender, region, and cultural background to ensure that rural communities, women, and young people are not left behind.
“The census platform allows all Namibians to register their skills and upload relevant supporting documentation, contributing to another initiative by Hyphen — namely the creation of a comprehensive national jobseekers’ database for the green hydrogen (GH2) sector. Looking ahead, the Skills Census will inform the design of Hyphen’s workforce development strategy, tailored to the unique needs of its project and, in time, to the broader, emerging green hydrogen sector in Namibia,” Hyphen explained.
The company noted that this is a key part of its baseline studies and National Skills Audit, conducted under the Feasibility and Implementation Agreement (FIA) with the Namibian Government. Hyphen is carrying out the Skills Census in close collaboration with key national stakeholders, including Namibia’s TVET sector, human capital development institutions, regional authorities, and socio-economic development agencies.
Hyphen called on all Namibians — especially the youth — to register on the Skills Census platform, participate actively, and share the initiative widely across 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 can participate meaningfully in this once-in-a-generation opportunity. This people-centred, data-driven initiative ensures that Namibians are not bystanders, but rather the rightful architects of their future in the country’s green energy transition,” Hyphen added.
