Cambodia Expands TVET Push to Build Skilled Workforce, Boost Youth Jobs

PHNOM PENH, May 29, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia is stepping up efforts to expand technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as part of a drive to build a skilled workforce, improve youth employment, and sharpen national competitiveness, officials said Friday.

The Royal Government will mark the 9th National TVET Day on June 15 under the theme “TVET Provides Skills, Jobs, and Income,” underscoring the growing role of technical education in Cambodia’s economic transformation and labor market.

The initiative is anchored in the government’s Pentagonal Strategy – Phase I, which places human capital at the core of national development through skills training, innovation, and workforce competitiveness. Authorities have set a vision of “One Citizen with at Least One Skill for Life.”

Officials urged stronger participation from ministries, provincial administrations, schools, development partners, businesses, and factories to expand TVET programs nationwide and create more internship and apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

The campaign also supports a flagship program to provide training to 1.5 million youth from poor and vulnerable households, as well as workers in both formal and informal sectors.

Cambodia is encouraging closer cooperation between training institutions and industries to ensure students gain practical skills aligned with modern technologies, the digital economy, and labor market needs. The push emphasizes digital skills, innovation, green development, and public-private partnerships to boost productivity and sustain long-term growth.

Authorities reported 10,172 registered engineers last year, including 44 foreign nationals, while more than 14,000 engineers received professional and technical training.

The broader labor market also expanded, with the formal workforce surpassing 2 million in 2025 — up more than 400,000 from the previous year. Registered enterprises nationwide reached 46,649, including 1,867 garment factories and 44,782 non-garment businesses.