In an effort to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on the labour market in the country, there is a need for effective reskilling and upskilling measures.

This is why the Namibian Employers Federation, together with stakeholders, developed a Rapid Skills Assessment report to identify the skills that will be needed for economic recovery. 

The report presents concise findings from the rapid skills assessment and provides practical recommendations, which, once applied, can help to limit the career-scarring effects of the pandemic on workers.

The Rapid Skills Assessment report further gives a look into the future of the types of people to be employed, their skills, and their abilities.

It also looks at how these can be harnessed and sharpened for better use that will yield economic and financial recovery in Namibia.

"The COVID-19 pandemic was a public health crisis that affected a lot of people, but it also turned out to be an economic catastrophe for businesses. The nature of how businesses are conducted has been affected, and the labour market has been severely affected too. This useful information allows us to investigate the future of work, and this will help us prepare for the types of jobs and skills we need to prepare Namibia for," said Terrence Makari, Board Chairperson of the Namibian Employers Federation.

During the two-day Rapid Skills Assessment Survey Roll-Out Workshops, speakers said the assessment aims to identify reskilling and upskilling needs with specific reference to tourism, agriculture, and the blue economy, which were immensely affected by COVID-19.

The Rapid Skills Assessment report was developed with the assistance of the International Labour Organisation under the Skills Initiative for Africa, a programme of the African Union Commission and the African Union Development Agency. 

The report was financed by the European Union and the German government through GIZ.