Namibia’s statutory petroleum training fund, Petrofund, has launched PetroConnect, a national digital CV and talent database designed to improve recruitment and strengthen the visibility of Namibian skills in the upstream oil and gas sector.
The platform was introduced in Windhoek during an event that also unveiled Petrofund’s refreshed corporate identity, upgraded website and refurbished head office.
Deputy Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Gaudentia Kröhne, who officiated the launch, said the system marks a major step in aligning national human capital with the demands of the emerging petroleum industry.
Kröhne said the transition from Petrofund’s manual CV archive to PetroConnect is expected to modernise how operators search for Namibian talent and how jobseekers access industry-specific opportunities. She noted that the previous manual repository held roughly 8,500 CVs, a structure the ministry viewed as inadequate for a sector preparing for future investment decisions.
According to Kröhne, the new platform ensures that national talent is “visible, searchable and verifiable”, with Petrofund maintaining oversight to authenticate both users and employers. “The transition of this system to PetroConnect represents a move to a modern CV repository and a talent database that enables the industry to efficiently identify local talent while reducing the reliance on imported labour,” she said.
Petrofund board chairperson Moses P. Pakote said PetroConnect directly responds to the findings of the Namibia Industrial Baseline Survey, which highlighted the need for specialised technical skills that match upstream requirements.
He said the platform bridges the gap between graduates and operators by giving employers real-time access to national skills, while enabling Petrofund to conduct skills-gap analyses for targeted training interventions.
Pakote also confirmed that Petrofund’s refurbished head office, first partially occupied on 4 April 2022, was completed this year within budget.
He said the structural upgrades, together with the new digital systems, signal the institution’s readiness for the next phase of national capacity development.
Special Adviser to the President and Head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit, Kornelia K. Shilunga, said PetroConnect aligns with national priorities as government finalises the National Upstream Petroleum Local Content Policy.
She noted that recent discoveries in the Orange Basin and the announcement in Kavango West make it essential to ensure Namibians are fully integrated into all stages of future operations.
