The Petroleum Training and Education Fund (Petrofund) has expanded its scholarship program, with 77 students currently benefiting and 38 new scholarships awarded for 2025.
Petrofund Chief Executive Officer Nillian Mulemi announced that the organization is increasing its support for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs, actively promoting scholarships at the Namibia Institute of Mining and Technology (NIMT) campus in Keetmanshoop.
“We are committed to growing technical expertise in the oil and gas industry,” Mulemi said. “More TVET-related scholarships will be offered in 2025 to build local capacity.”
In addition to scholarships, Petrofund has deployed 17 Namibians to France, Malaysia, and Angola for specialized training in critical oil and gas skills.
The organization has also provided institutional support to the University of Namibia (UNAM) by equipping its Department of Geology with advanced oil and gas drilling software and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) is set to introduce optional oil and gas programs in 2025.
Further enhancing training efforts, Petrofund has facilitated specialized courses for 33 government officials.
These officials received oil and gas training in Windhoek and offshore survival training in Cape Town, South Africa.
They also visited onshore oil and gas drilling activities in the Kavango Basin and are awaiting offshore exposure at the earliest opportunity.
Petrofund has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SBM Offshore, a global leader in offshore energy solutions, to provide Namibians with hands-on industry experience.
Through this partnership, five interns are currently participating in SBM Offshore’s Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) design program in Malaysia.
“The oil and gas industry requires technical skills and competency.Through this collaboration, we aim to provide meaningful opportunities for professional development. As Namibia’s petroleum sector grows, it is crucial to develop a workforce equipped with industry-specific skills,” she said.
