Cambodia, Japan’s Daikin Expand HVAC Training Partnership

PHNOM PENH, May 22, 2026 (KPT) – The Labour Ministry and Japan’s Daikin Industries are strengthening cooperation to build a skilled workforce in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) as the Kingdom accelerates efforts to modernize its industrial capacity, officials said Thursday.

Labour Minister Heng Sour met Daikin executive Omori Junichi in Phnom Penh to discuss expanding training and investment partnerships. Sour pointed to the recent launch of the Daikin Dojo Training Center at the Industrial Technical Institute, which he said has positioned the school as a leading hub for technical education.

The minister stressed that vocational training is central to Cambodia’s strategy to upskill its workforce, noting that more than 200,000 people received technical training in 2025. He said building a modern labour force is key to Cambodia’s ambition of becoming a high‑income economy by 2050 under Prime Minister Hun Manet’s human capital drive. Cambodia’s formal workforce has reached 2.3 million, while social protection coverage continues to expand, with 3.64 million people enrolled in health insurance schemes.

Junichi reaffirmed Daikin’s commitment, stressing the need for skilled technicians to provide after‑sales services, maintenance and sustainable HVAC solutions. Sour welcomed the partnership as a way to integrate Japanese innovation and “gold‑standard” quality into Cambodia’s training system, adding that environmentally friendly HVAC technologies will be vital as demand rises.

The cooperation is expected to strengthen teacher capacity, modern curricula and industry‑relevant skills, enabling graduates to secure decent jobs and competitive salaries.