Cambodia and Switzerland Advance TVET Project to Phase II, Agree on Enhancing Workforce Development

Phnom Penh, July 18, 2026---His Excellency Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, met with Mr. Christian Disler, Deputy Head of Cooperation for Cambodia at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), on the afternoon of July 17, 2026, at the Ministry's headquarters. The meeting aimed to present the key achievements of Phase I of the ASEAN-Switzerland TVET Initiative (ASTI) project and discuss the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Phase II, as Phase I is scheduled to conclude at the end of this year. On this occasion, His Excellency the Minister warmly welcomed Mr. Christian Disler, representing the GIZ organization, and colleagues. He highly appreciated the commendable achievements of Phase I of the ASTI project. On behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, His Excellency expressed his profound gratitude to the Swiss government, SDC, GIZ, and all partners for their support in developing the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector in Cambodia. His Excellency stated that Switzerland is a trusted development partner, and its technical expertise and commitment have significantly contributed to strengthening human resource development in Cambodia to meet evolving market demands. His Excellency praised the success of Phase I of the ASTI project, which has played a crucial role in reforming Cambodia's TVET system. This was achieved through the development of national guidelines on Work-Based Learning (WBL), the preparation of standardized training packages, the enhancement of competency-based training and assessment, and the building of strong partnerships between the government, industry, and TVET institutions. Consequently, 427 trainees successfully completed the WBL program and secured employment immediately after graduation, with 80% being women, demonstrating inclusive and equitable skill development. This achievement clearly shows that WBL remains a priority strategy to strengthen cooperation between TVET institutions and enterprises, thereby increasing youth employability and enterprise productivity. His Excellency Heng Sour highlighted that the Royal Government of Cambodia considers human resource development as the core of its Pentagonal Strategy Phase I, and the Ministry is modernizing the TVET system to train human resources according to labor market demands. The Ministry remains committed to integrating WBL as an essential component of the national TVET system, expanding public-private partnerships in skills development, and strengthening competency standards, curricula, and quality assurance. Concurrently, His Excellency fully welcomed and supported the continuation of the ASTI project through an MOU. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the project, the Ministry supports the establishment of a sustainable financing mechanism for WBL, strengthening cooperation with the Skills Development Fund, and exploring joint financing mechanisms between the government, enterprises, and development partners. His Excellency encouraged both technical teams to conclude their discussions promptly to ensure a smooth transition from Phase I to Phase II. He expressed strong confidence that Phase II will achieve similar success as Phase I, ensuring that this cooperation continues to benefit youth, employees, and enterprises by further enhancing productivity. In response, Mr. Christian Disler expressed his gratitude to His Excellency the Minister for the fruitful discussion and for demonstrating the Ministry's commitment and long-term vision for continuing the MOU. He noted that the results of Phase I have shown remarkable progress. Specifically, 427 trainees have completed workplace training and received certificates, which serve as a crucial foundation and an excellent starting point for further project expansion. For the next phase, he emphasized the importance of collaboration to address key challenges, particularly in finding sustainable financing mechanisms for off-the-job training. He expressed his deep gratitude to His Excellency the Minister and all working teams for their excellent support and cooperation thus far, and he was pleased to witness the developments benefiting the Cambodian people. By: Bunrith, Source: Ministry of Labour © All rights reserved by National News Agency of Cambodia 2018