Allexer Namundjebo Young people across Namibia marked World Youth Skills Day on Tuesday, celebrating ten years since the global initiative was launched to promote skills development for employment, entrepreneurship, and decent work. This year’s theme, “Youth Empowerment Through AI and Digital Skills”, focused on preparing the next generation for a world shaped by artificial intelligence and digital transformation. Palms For Life Fund, a key player in skills development for marginalised communities, used the occasion to highlight its work with San youth.  Over the past four years, the organisation has helped train more than 1,300 young people through community-based centres and vocational training institutions. “We are not just training individuals; we are building a skilled and self-reliant generation,” said Gabriel Tomas, liaison officer at Palms For Life.  “Youth must be positioned at the centre of our development agenda. Their skills are the key to unlocking economic inclusion and innovation.” Menesia Uiras, a level 2 office administration student at the Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF), said her life changed after joining a vocational programme.  “Before this, I had very limited opportunities. Now I have organisational, computer, and communication skills that I can use in real work environments, she said. Her advice to other young people was, “don’t let doubt stop you. Dream big and work hard”. In Tsumeb, Alberto Ariseb is training in joinery. He said learning a trade gave him a new sense of direction.  “I never imagined I would one day design and build with my own hands. Now I can take an idea and turn it into something useful for my family and my community. The skills I’ve gained are just the beginning. I’m committed to going further and inspiring others to do the same,” he said. Marina Hanes, a hospitality and tourism student in Otjiwarongo, said she chose her field because it offers broad opportunities.  “It’s something I can grow into a business. There were challenges, especially working with people from different backgrounds and adapting to long shifts. But I have learnt resilience, and that’s just as important as any technical skill,” said Hanes.  The event came at a time when the fourth industrial revolution is changing the way people live and work.  As AI and automation reshape industries, vocational education faces pressure to adapt. “Artificial intelligence will impact every sector, not just technology,” Tomas said.  “From plumbing to project management, digital literacy is becoming essential. We need to act now to ensure that rural, marginalised, and out-of-school youth are not left behind,” Tomas noted.  Palms For Life works with the division for marginalised communities in the office of the vice president, and under formal agreements with the ministries of gender equality and youth, and education, arts and culture.  Its programmes focus on trades such as business administration, joinery, plumbing, and bricklaying, creating pathways to both employment and entrepreneurship. World Youth Skills Day, first observed in 2015, has become a platform to reflect on youth development progress.  In Namibia, it draws attention to both the success of training initiatives and the continued need for investment in AI readiness, digital access, and inclusive skills development. “Vocational education is not second-tier. It is the foundation of self-reliance. If we equip our youth with the right tools today, they’ll build the country we all envision tomorrow.”

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