Cambodia and Australia Inaugurate Automotive Center of Excellence to Boost Vocational Training

PHNOM PENH, March 16, 2026 (KPT) – Cambodia and Australia have inaugurated a new Automotive Center of Excellence (ACE C), aimed at advancing technical and vocational education and strengthening workforce skills in the Kingdom, officials said Monday.

The centre, also known as S K Cambodia, was launched by Labour and Vocational Training Minister Heng Sour and Bridget Collier, Chargé d’Affaires of the Australian Embassy.

It is a collaboration between Cambodia’s ministry and Australia’s Bendigo Kangan Institute, with support from the Australian government.

Heng Sour described ACE C as a milestone in bilateral cooperation and a model for skills development, saying it will focus on five priorities: skills enhancement, innovation, digital transformation in TVET, policy alignment and technology transfer.

The centre combines BKI’s curriculum with RMA Cambodia’s advanced technology to train students in diagnostics, electric vehicles and safety.

Collier welcomed the initiative as a further example of Australia–Cambodia partnership in education and human capital development, highlighting its role in building a skilled workforce to support industrialisation.

The centre is expected to train thousands of students in the coming years, equipping youth with practical skills to contribute to Cambodia’s Vision 2050 and long term economic growth.