By: Dwight Links
The Sub-Saharan Africa Skills and Apprenticeship Stakeholders Network (SASASNET) is a 43-country continental platform focused on improving skills and apprenticeship systems, especially within informal economies.
Namibia participated in the SASASNET conference in Nigeria this week.
The Directorate of Technical, and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) under the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC) participated in the 3rd Annual Regional Conference of its kind.
The continental engagement of training authorities took place from 2-4 June in Abuja.
“The conference brought together key stakeholders from 43 African countries to discuss skills development, apprenticeship systems, work-based learning, as well as formalisation of the informal sector,” explained Sophie Tendane from MEIYSAC’s communications department.
Speaking at the conference on developments from Namibia, MEIYSAC’s director of TVET, Dalia Mwiya, participated in a panel discussion on Gender and Inclusion in Apprenticeships.
“The discussion focused on ensuring equitable access, safe participation, successful completion, and positive transition outcomes for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups in the informal economy,” Tendane noted.
Another participant from Namibia, Rosalia Shiponeni, Work Integrated Learning (WIL) manager at the Namibia Training Authority (NTA), also participated in the discussion as a panellist.
“Namibia’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to apprenticeship opportunities for women, youth, persons with disabilities, and other marginalised groups, emphasise the country’s efforts to create an inclusive and responsive skills development system that supports decent work, sustainable livelihoods, and equal opportunities for all,” Shiponeni remarked.
The aim for this stems from African leaders who committed to recognising and funding quality improvements for informal apprenticeship systems, and, according to the conference, pledged to “develop regional and national strategies to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy.”
African Templates
Examples highlighted by the conference showcased the PropelA dual apprenticeship model in Kenya – which focuses on plumbing and electrical trades – that has trained over 300 apprentices in partnership with more than 40 companies.
The program is said to achieve a 99% pass and 80% employment rates respectively upon completion.
“It serves as a replicable model for public–private apprenticeship frameworks,” the conference brief outlined.
“Building on traditional apprenticeships in Côte d’Ivoire, a dual apprenticeship model introduced through AGEFOP and funded by the World Bank has proven to increase young peoples’ earnings by 14 – 20% two to five years after graduation, which primarily boosts self-employment, and in turn reduces working poverty of young people,” SASASNET notes.
An impact assessment demonstrated that the implementation design combining additional off-the-job training with a subsidy paid to apprentices proved effective at the individual income level through better technical skills, more complex tasks and increased productivity.
“Which is also seen in the organisation of end-of-apprenticeship exams through the Chamber of Crafts Trades in Benin, in partnership with crafts associations that were awarded formal qualifications (CQM), to around 150 000 apprentices in 2024/25,” adds SASASNET.
According to SASASNET, they recognise the skills the youth in these countries acquire through apprenticeship in the informal economy, which contributes to dynamic changes.
Launched in July 2023 in Abuja, Nigeria, and domiciled at Nigeria’s National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Liaison Office, SASASNET builds on the 2023 Cotonou workshop, the Abuja Launch Action Plan, and the 2025 Mombasa Conference.
These are aimed at strengthening apprenticeship systems in the informal economy and promoting employability and decent work.
