The Cambodia-UK Skills and TVET Forum 2026 was held in Phnom Penh on Mar. 10 under the theme “Building a Future-Ready Workforce Through Partnership.”
The forum followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on “Exchanges and Cooperation in the Field of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)” between the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training and the UK Skills Partnership.
The event was co-chaired by H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, and H.E. Dominic Williams, British Ambassador to Cambodia, with participation from senior officials of the Ministry, representatives from the British Embassy, development partners, industries, and training institutions.
Speaking at the forum, H.E. Heng Sour highlighted that as Cambodia continues to modernise its national TVET system, the partnership with the United Kingdom is both strategic and timely, particularly for the country’s youth who represent an active workforce and a key driver of economic growth.
He emphasised that human capital development is essential for Cambodia to achieve its vision of becoming a high-income country by 2050.
“This collaboration also highlights the importance of green skills in supporting Cambodia’s economic transition towards a sustainable economy,” the Minister said.
H.E. Heng Sour added that Cambodia is also exploring the development of green industrial zones, which could help position the Kingdom as a hub for green innovation while preparing a workforce equipped for future industries in the region.
Quoting Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, the Minister noted that “people” are Cambodia’s most valuable asset and a key competitive advantage, particularly as the country pursues economic restructuring and diversification.
He stressed that developing human resources is crucial to equipping the workforce with the necessary skills for sustainable growth.
“To translate these objectives into practical action, the immediate priority is to develop labour market information systems and strengthen the role of sectoral expert councils, drawing on experience and technical frameworks from the United Kingdom,” he said.
H.E. Heng Sour expressed confidence that the MoU on TVET cooperation will help Cambodia integrate digital skills, innovation, and modern training approaches into its TVET system.
He noted that the partnership could also support joint research and training programmes between Cambodian and British institutions in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), the automotive industry, and electric vehicle maintenance.
The Minister also expressed his deep appreciation to the Government of the United Kingdom, the British Embassy in Cambodia, the UK Skills Partnership, and all relevant stakeholders for their support in establishing the cooperation.
For his part, H.E. Dominic Williams said he was proud of the partnership, describing it as an exciting new chapter in Cambodia-UK cooperation.
He expressed hope that the initiative would bring UK technical and vocational expertise into Cambodia’s long-term development plans and create meaningful impact through capacity building and high-quality training programmes that respond to industry needs and benefit the Cambodian people.
