“If it was me, I would choose to study technical skills—skills for fixing agricultural machinery and small-scale transportation channels…Why? Because we need technical skills…it makes money, indeed.” –H.E. Hun Sen in a speech to graduates from the National Technical Training Institute
The Prime Minister’s urging towards vocational training comes at a time where Cambodia has ranked very poorly against its neighbors in education, training and developing a competitive workforce. The recent 2016 Human Capital Report by the World Economic Forum placed Cambodia 100 out of 130 countries. In the region, only Myanmar and Laos PDR ranked lower.
Vocational training has become a key focus for the Royal Government of Cambodia and many local and international organizations as a way to develop a labour force that has the technical skills to support a booming economy.
While the country’s education system is poorly developed, the pool of highly-skilled technical labour is also small.
With this in mind, here are the top four reasons to choose a Technical and Vocational Education Training programme:
Specialized training for high-demand sectors
While four year university programmes in management and business administration will provide students macro-level skills in their chosen field, the benefit of vocational training is that it trains in specialized skills and experience that are required by booming sectors. Tourism and hospitality, for examples, are growing rapidly in Cambodia and businesses have a hard time finding skilled workers. The Cambodian government is focusing on vocational training because of the power it packs. Skilled labour in explosive economic sectors will help Cambodia move forward and achieve its potential.
Hands-on experience is valuable for the work place
Vocational training prepares students for employment in the workforce. Not only do vocational courses and programmes provide individuals with the skills they need for specific jobs, they often offer hands-on experience, job shadowing and work placements so that students have real work experience before even being employed. This is a huge benefit for the student and the employer.
Efficiency and efficacy
Vocational training programmes are often shorter in length than their 4-year counterparts in universities and colleges. Because of this, individuals can enter the workforce two years after starting a vocational training programme and already have real work experience under their belt. The efficiency and efficacy of vocational training education benefits skilled workers seeking employment and reduces a country’s unemployment rates.
Gain skills that are crucial for success in the 21st century
The global economy has changed drastically in the past 20 years and technical skills have never been more important. Technical skills, gained in the vocational arena, are more important than ever before for individuals to complete in a globalized market.
“Technical vocational skills remain key to success. In fact, in many emerging economies, the demand for higher-skilled labor has never been greater as a result of greater outsourcing and offshoring.” (World Bank)
Are you ready to gain the skills you need to succeed in Cambodia’s 21st century economy? Register today. Courses begin March, 2017.