Fourteen-year-old Namibian Tironenn Amutenya Kadhikwa has set his sights on exploring a career in nuclear energy after returning from a 10-day scientific expedition to the North Pole aboard the nuclear-powered icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy.
Kadhikwa was among 68 students from 22 countries who took part in the Icebreaker of Knowledge expedition, where young participants were exposed to scientific research, lectures, workshops and experiments.
The experience has influenced how the Namibian teenager now thinks about his future.
“This journey taught me that anything you can imagine is possible and you should never give up. Now I would like to explore a career in nuclear energy,” Kadhikwa said after the expedition.
Before joining the expedition, Kadhikwa took part in a three-stage international science competition that included a science quiz, expert-led webinars and a final presentation on “How Nuclear Technologies Are Changing the World Today.”
During the Arctic journey, the students observed the nuclear-powered vessel in operation while participating in lectures, workshops, and scientific experiments.
They also launched a radiosonde and tested a reusable high-altitude platform for environmental monitoring.
For Kadhikwa, the expedition offered a chance to see scientific knowledge applied outside the classroom at an age when he is still considering his future studies and career.
His emerging interest in nuclear energy also comes from a country that is already one of the world’s major uranium producers.
Namibia produced 7,333 tonnes of uranium in 2024, accounting for about 12% of global mine production and placing the country third behind Kazakhstan and Canada, according to World Nuclear Association data.
The uranium industry already employs thousands of Namibians, while proposed projects could increase the demand for technical and scientific skills.
At Husab mine, more than 1,600 permanent employees and almost 1,200 contractors are employed, with around 98% of the workforce Namibian, according to figures cited in the document.
Headspring Investments has also projected that its proposed Wings uranium project in the Omaheke Region could create more than 600 jobs if developed at the planned scale. The figure remains a company projection because the project has not yet reached that stage of development.
More specialised skills
Namibia’s skills requirements could extend beyond conventional mining and mineral processing if the country pursues greater value addition from its uranium resources.
More advanced uranium processing would require expertise in areas including chemistry, materials science, nuclear technology, process engineering, radiation protection and quality control.
The University of Namibia is developing a School of Applied Nuclear Sciences, with planned areas of study including nuclear medicine, radiation protection, environmental monitoring, agriculture, uranium value addition and future nuclear-energy systems.
For Kadhikwa, those questions remain some years ahead.
At 14, he has not committed to becoming a nuclear specialist. The Arctic expedition has introduced him to a field he now says he wants to explore.
His journey offers an early example of how exposure to science and technology can encourage young Namibians to consider careers that could eventually feed into one of the country’s most important mineral industries.
*Content provided by Rosatom Africa
