EuroCham Cambodia Highlights Role of Public-Private Partnerships at Closing the Gap Workshop 2025

EuroCham Cambodia joined government officials, industry leaders, and international partners for ‘Closing the Gap Workshop 2025: Pathways to Practical Skills Development and Workforce Readiness’, held on September 16–17 in Phnom Penh. 

Co-hosted by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) and the EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Package – Higher Education Program (SCOPE-HE), the workshop convened experts from across ASEAN to address urgent challenges in technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

The two-day program featured keynote addresses from H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, and H.E. Igor Driesmans, EU Ambassador to Cambodia, alongside senior representatives from ASEAN, SEAMEO VOCTECH, and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Discussions centred on the employability of TVET graduates in the agri-food sector, with a strong emphasis on equipping youth with green and digital skills to meet evolving market demands.

EuroCham Cambodia’s Executive Director, Martin Brisson, contributed to the high-level panel on Public-Private Partnerships for Critical Skills Development, moderated by Yim Pichmalika, Deputy Director General of DGTVET, MLVT Cambodia. Speaking alongside Manuel Azibi, Resident Twinning Advisor of the EU-Cambodia Twinning Project, Sokkim Ky, CEO of the Skill Development Fund, and Ravi Bhushan Singh, Director of Global Institutional Affairs, Sustainability at Schneider Electric, Brisson emphasised the crucial role of the private sector in aligning TVET curricula with industry needs.

“For TVET to truly prepare young people for the jobs of today and tomorrow, the private sector must be a co-creator, not just a beneficiary,” he said. “Public–private partnerships are crucial to ensure training is demand-driven: from shaping curricula and standards, to opening workplaces for apprenticeships, to co-investing in modern facilities and trainer development. When government, training providers, and business work together with a shared vision, we create a skills ecosystem that is both relevant and sustainable—and that drives real opportunities for Cambodia’s future workforce.”

The workshop combined presentations, group discussions, and interactive sessions to generate actionable solutions for bridging the divide between education and employment. Participants explored partnership models, policy alignment, and best practices that can be adapted across ASEAN, with a focus on inclusivity, gender equality, and sustainability.

The event concluded with a roadmap for future workshops, including follow-up actions ahead of the Policy Dialogue on Higher Education 2025 in Malaysia, and a site visit to the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia (NPIC), where delegates observed local best practices in vocational training.

EuroCham Cambodia’s active participation underscores its commitment to fostering skills development, workforce readiness, and sustainable growth. Through its engagement in platforms such as the Closing the Gap Workshop series, the Chamber continues to advocate for stronger public-private collaboration to build a competitive and resilient Cambodian economy.

This press release was supplied.