TransNamib Holdings Limited is targeting to recruit 72 new train drivers within the next three years through an external training programme aimed specifically at the youth in Namibia.
In addition to being cash-strapped, the national rail transport operator is also faced with obsolete equipment and rolling stock as well as an ageing pool of drivers at its disposal.
“A total of 30 youth between the ages of 23 and 28 joined the three-year traineeship programme, which will ultimately change the trajectory of their careers and steer them towards becoming Train Drivers. TransNamib faces the current human capital challenge of an aging pool of Train Drivers, most of whom are within 3-5 years of the retirement age. It is therefore crucial for the company to create capacity for the future, through injecting new blood into TransNamib,” TransNamib Manager for Corporate Communications Abigail Raubenheimer said on Tuesday.
She added that the development will allow the company to play a key role in contributing to the government’s efforts to develop and boost youth employability and create opportunities for the youth of Namibia, while also contributing to transformation in the sector.
“TransNamib recognises the role that public enterprises play a key role in answering the call by the government to develop and boost youth employability and create opportunities for the youth of Namibia. Included in the identified trainees are 15 female trainees (of which eight are part of the external group and seven are from the internally sourced group), which speaks to the company’s vision to transform the rail industry from a typically male-dominated industry to an inclusive industry,” Raubenheimer said.
She further said the programme is also complimented by TransNamib’s internal drive to create capacity, whereby 42 general workers were identified throughout the company countrywide to be upskilled through the trainee train driver programme, of which seven are female.
The decision by the rail operator comes at a time when it plans to implement its approved Integrated Strategic Business Plan, aimed at doubling its freight volumes, a development that would require additional capacity for its operations.
“This programme is thus a much-needed intervention by the management of the company to create capacity within its human resources by investing in our own employees as well as creating employment and skill development opportunities for the youth of Namibia,” she said.
The intense three year-long programme includes a specialised focus on safety and is guided by the Southern African Railways Association (SARA) guidelines for traineeship.
