Cambodia's 10th National Skills Competition Concludes in Phnom Penh: 112 Competitors, 12 Trades, 31 Medalists, Backed by ILO/China Programme
PHNOM PENH — Cambodia's 10th National Skills Competition was held in the capital Phnom Penh from September 29 to October 3, 2026, bringing together 112 competitors — including 29 women — from 20 institutions and universities across the country, the International Labour Organization (ILO) announced. Participants competed in 12 skill areas and 31 competitors received medals.
The 12 areas span traditional trades and digital occupations: electrical installations, welding, bricklaying, and wall and floor tiling sit alongside information network cabling, graphic design, web design, IT software solutions for business, 3D digital game art, digital construction, mechatronics and industrial automation. The competition was organized by the Directorate General of Technical Vocational Education and Training (DGTVET) of Cambodia's Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, with support from the ILO through the ILO/China Partnership Programme on Strengthening Skills Development. Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Heng Sour attended the opening ceremony.
Cambodian officials described the event as a benchmark as much as a contest. Khiev Kongveasna, the ministry's Chief Expert in Digital Construction Skills Competition, said the competition lets young people showcase their talents and have their skills, creativity and problem-solving assessed against industry standards, while preparing Cambodia's young talent for future employment and international competitions. Tian Feng, Project Manager of the ILO/China Partnership Programme, said the 10th edition was not only about identifying medal winners but also about promoting technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as a pathway to decent work and career development.
The China connection has built up over several years. According to the ILO, through South-South Cooperation the ILO/China Partnership Programme has supported nearly 100 Cambodian trainers and competitors over the past four years to undertake technical training in China, gaining exposure to advanced training methods, modern equipment and internationally benchmarked practices. This year's competition forms part of a longer-term pathway to identify talented young people, strengthen trainers and experts, and prepare promising competitors for WorldSkills ASEAN and other international events — a priority for a government that views vocational skills as central to youth employment and manufacturing competitiveness as Cambodia prepares to graduate from the UN's Least Developed Country category.
Source: Compiled from the International Labour Organization (ILO) news release, October 2026.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 资料图：柬埔寨职业培训学员在实训厨房上课（学员服装印有STUDENT字样），澳大利亚国际发展署（AusAID）摄，CC BY 2.0（Wikimedia Commons）
