Innovation in technology and vocational training gets financial recognition

Innovation in technology and vocational training gets financial recognition

The winners of the first inaugural Cambodia Skills Challenge Innovation Call have been announced. The Innovation Call is an initiative of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the United Nations in Cambodia, with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Chinese government.

It encouraged eligible institutions to propose innovative solutions to address digital challenges faced by technical and vocational training institutes as well as to help Cambodia rebuild in the post COVID-19 period.

The Innovation Call identified three promising and innovative projects that will contribute to providing young Cambodians, especially those most affected by COVID-19, with opportunities to acquire skills that lead to decent jobs as well as accredited certificates.

Ecole d’Hotellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule, a hospitality and tourism vocational school, won first place and was awarded $50,000. Ecole Paul Dubrule will digitalise the ASEAN curriculum for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in hospitality and tourism, develop a learning management system (LMS) and what it calls a blended recognition of prior learning (RPL) assessment package – in other words, accepted work experience – as well facilitate e-pedagogy training – learning remotely.

The second place winner was the National Committee for Tourism Professionals (NCTP) of the Ministry of Tourism. This came with an award of $30,000. NCTP will develop a blended RPL platform. The third winner (earning an award of $20,000) was the Department of Labour Market Information (DLMI) of the Directorate General of Technical Vocational Education and Training (DGTVET). DLMI will develop digital marketing platforms and campaigns.

Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Ith Samheng said he strongly believes the three winning projects of the first Cambodia Skills Challenge Innovation Call will contribute to the development of the TVET sector. “It plays a crucial role in the socio-economic development of the country as well as in the creation of decent employment opportunities and advancement of livelihoods,” he added.

“Education is a human right. Every single Cambodian should have access to education, whether formal, informal, vocational or technical. Ensuring access to quality education is the best preparation to succeed in the world of work,” said UN Resident Coordinator Pauline Tamesis.

“It is also vital in building forward better from the pandemic. Investing in human resource development as a pillar of economic recovery guarantees that no one will be left behind,” she added.

Graeme Buckley, director of the International Labour Organization Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR, said that the move towards digitalisation in the work world has been going on for some time. As a result, there is a strong need to promote innovative solutions that contribute in this direction with skills development platforms.

“There is an opportunity for us to narrow the gap between those that benefit from digitalisation and those left behind,” said Buckley. Khmer Times