Staff Reporter
NAMIBIA’S Victor George has received the Best of Nation Award at the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai, China, where Namibian competitors joined young professionals from around the world in showcasing their technical and vocational skills.
George, a Welding competitor from the Eenhana Vocational Training Centre, received the award as Namibia’s highest-performing competitor at the international skills competition.
The Best of Nation Award recognises the highest-performing competitor from each WorldSkills member delegation.
Photos: WorldSkills Namibia
George’s achievement followed months of preparation and training and highlighted the potential of Namibia’s young skilled professionals to compete at an international level.
Other members of Team Namibia also reflected on their experiences at the competition, which concluded with a closing ceremony at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai.
Jonas Ambambi, Namibia’s Plumbing and Heating competitor from the Namwater Human Resources Development Centre, described the competition as challenging, exciting and unforgettable.
He said the first day was particularly difficult as he had to familiarise himself with tools and equipment he had not previously used.
South African Plumbing and Heating competitor Rohan Bezuidenhout praised Ambambi’s performance, saying he was impressed by the quality and speed of his work.
“It’s very difficult on this international stage, but he’s keeping up very well,” Bezuidenhout said.
Web Technology competitor Bevin Kabuwanwa of Ondgwediva Secondary School said competing alongside participants from around the world was initially intimidating but ultimately strengthened his appreciation for technical skills.
He said the competition gave him an opportunity to network with like-minded competitors from different countries and described the opening ceremony as one of the highlights of the event.
Kabuwanwa said he hopes to return to the WorldSkills Competition in 2028, potentially as an expert rather than a competitor.
Joy Mbumba, Namibia’s Mechanical Engineering CAD competitor from the Namibia University of Science and Technology, said the final day marked the end of a long journey during which she gained new experiences, met people from different backgrounds and learned different approaches to technical work.
Meanwhile, NUST students Victor Neshila and Philemon Mengela represented Namibia in Mechatronics, working together on competition tasks that tested their technical knowledge and practical skills.
The WorldSkills event also provided an opportunity for African countries to discuss the future of skills development through WorldSkills Africa.
WorldSkills Africa, through the African Union, engaged members and representatives from other African countries on pathways towards WorldSkills Africa and WorldSkills International membership.
The discussions also covered plans for establishing the WorldSkills Africa Secretariat and a new strategy focused on strengthening national capacity through the upskilling of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) trainers, enhancing regional cooperation and creating sustainable pathways for African members to participate in the wider WorldSkills movement.
The participation of Team Namibia at WorldSkills Shanghai highlighted the role of skills development and TVET in creating opportunities for young Namibians to compete and collaborate on an international platform.
