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Building Africa’s Mining Talent Pipeline: Inside the Kamoa Centre of Excellence in the DRC

The Kamoa Centre of Excellence (KCE) is playing an important role in addressing skills shortages in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s growing mining sector. Speaking ahead of this year’s DRC Mining Week 2026, Nathalie Vounck, Program Director of Kamoa Centre of Excellence, explained that the institution was launched in September 2023 in partnership with the University of Pretoria to strengthen STEM education among young people in the DRC.

Watch:
Voices of DMW 2026: In conversation with Nathalie Vounck, Kamoa Centre of Excellence, DRC 

Vounck said the programme was redesigned to focus on mathematics, science, technology, English and soft skills after identifying major gaps between existing education and industry needs. Students who complete the one-year programme can apply for bursary extensions to continue studies locally or abroad.

She highlighted improvements in students’ confidence, maturity and technical skills, adding that KCE plans to expand into a tertiary-level institution focusing on engineering, finance, HR and legal studies. Vounck said the broader goal is to develop a skilled workforce that can support not only mining companies, but also emerging businesses and communities across the DRC.

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VUKA Group
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VUKA Group

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