What is TVET?

TVET stands for Technical and Vocational Education and Training. It refers to programs designed to equip individuals with the practical skills and knowledge necessary for specific trades, crafts, and vocations. Unlike traditional academic education, which often focuses on theoretical knowledge, TVET focuses on hands-on, experiential learning that prepares students to enter the workforce directly after completion.

In Cambodia, TVET has grown in prominence as an essential pillar for developing a skilled workforce, providing opportunities for young people and adults to enhance their job prospects and contribute to the country’s economy. With a focus on skills relevant to industries like construction, manufacturing, agriculture, IT, and services, TVET programs have become integral to the country’s strategy for reducing poverty, promoting social mobility, and improving the standard of living.

Overview of TVET in Cambodia

The history of Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Cambodia dates back to the post-independence period, although it has gained significant traction in recent years. Initially, vocational training was limited, and education was mainly academic-focused. The Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979) decimated the educational infrastructure, leaving the country in desperate need of skilled workers to rebuild the economy and infrastructure.

After the 1990s, as Cambodia transitioned towards peace and stability, efforts to revive and modernize the education system were launched. TVET emerged as a critical component of this rebuilding process. With support from international organizations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and development partners such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Cambodia began establishing its formal TVET system. The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) was created to manage and oversee these programs.

The government’s Education Strategic Plan (ESP) and National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) placed a significant emphasis on expanding TVET, recognizing it as a tool for economic development and poverty reduction. Over the years, various reforms have been implemented to align the TVET programs with market needs, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills demanded by Cambodia’s growing industries.

Who Operates and Manages TVET in Cambodia?

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) is the primary body responsible for the operation and management of TVET in Cambodia. The Ministry, in collaboration with other governmental bodies such as the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MoEYS), oversees the development of TVET policies, program design, curriculum development, and monitoring of institutions offering TVET.

Some key institutions involved in managing and delivering TVET in Cambodia include:

• National Training Board (NTB): The NTB acts as a governing body overseeing the strategic development of TVET in Cambodia. It plays a crucial role in ensuring that programs are aligned with national development goals and the needs of the labor market.
• National Technical Training Institute (NTTI): The NTTI is one of the major public institutions offering technical and vocational training across a variety of sectors such as engineering, construction, and electronics.
• Technical Vocational Education and Training Institutions (TVETIs): These institutions, scattered across the country, offer various courses and training programs. They provide accredited programs at different levels to develop practical skills for employment.

What Are TVET Programs and Skills I Can Learn?

TVET in Cambodia offers a wide range of programs and courses tailored to meet the growing demand for skilled workers in key sectors of the economy. These programs generally focus on hands-on, practical training and offer both short-term certificates and long-term diploma programs.

Some of the most popular TVET programs and skills you can learn include:

1. Agriculture and Agribusiness: Courses on modern farming techniques, sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry, and agricultural management.
2. Construction and Civil Engineering: Skills related to carpentry, masonry, plumbing, and electrical installation.
3. Mechanical Engineering: Training in the operation and maintenance of machinery used in manufacturing and production industries.
4. Information Technology (IT): Courses covering software development, network administration, cybersecurity, and hardware repairs.
5. Automotive Engineering: Training in auto repairs, vehicle maintenance, and diagnostics.
6. Hospitality and Tourism: Skills such as hotel management, tour guiding, cooking, and customer service, designed for those entering Cambodia’s booming tourism industry.
7. Textile and Garment Manufacturing: Courses related to fashion design, textile technology, and garment production.
8. Electrical and Electronics Engineering: Programs that teach students about circuit design, electronic systems, and electrical installations.
9. And many more!

Why Should You Enroll in TVET Programs?

There are several compelling reasons why enrolling in TVET programs can be beneficial for both individuals and Cambodia’s overall development:

1. Practical and Industry-Relevant Skills: TVET provides hands-on training, making it easier for graduates to transition directly into the workforce. These programs are designed to meet the specific needs of industries such as construction, tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing, which are rapidly expanding in Cambodia.
2. Employment Opportunities: Graduates from TVET programs often find it easier to secure jobs because their skills match market demands. Employers appreciate workers with practical experience, and TVET programs offer just that.
3. Economic Mobility: TVET can be an effective way for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to gain marketable skills and improve their income potential. By learning a trade, individuals can pursue entrepreneurial ventures or find well-paying jobs.
4. Flexible Learning Options: TVET programs are typically shorter in duration compared to traditional academic programs, allowing students to enter the workforce more quickly. Additionally, many institutions offer flexible scheduling, making it easier for working adults to participate in TVET.
5. Government Support: The Cambodian government has made significant investments in TVET through policy and financial support. This makes it easier for students to access affordable training programs.
6. Contribution to National Development: By enrolling in TVET, individuals can directly contribute to Cambodia’s development goals. A skilled workforce is essential for building infrastructure, promoting industrial growth, and advancing the economy.

TVET Policy in Cambodia

The Cambodian government has developed several policies aimed at enhancing the quality and accessibility of TVET programs across the country. Some of the key policy frameworks include:

1. National Technical and Vocational Education and Training Policy 2017-2025: This policy outlines Cambodia’s strategy for improving TVET by increasing access, enhancing the quality of training, and ensuring alignment with the labor market. It emphasizes the need for public-private partnerships to improve the delivery of TVET services.
2. Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2019-2023: This plan highlights TVET as a core component of Cambodia’s education system, with a strong emphasis on improving technical education at all levels to meet the needs of Cambodia’s economy.
3. Cambodia Industrial Development Policy 2015-2025: This policy encourages investment in technical and vocational training as part of the broader strategy to modernize Cambodia’s industrial sector. TVET is seen as critical for developing the skilled workforce required to achieve industrialization goals.
4. ASEAN Integration and Skills Recognition: As a member of ASEAN, Cambodia is working to align its TVET system with the broader regional standards, which allows for the recognition of skills and qualifications across ASEAN member states, making it easier for Cambodian workers to seek employment within the region.

TVET Locations in Phnom Penh and Other Provinces

TVET institutions are spread across Cambodia, ensuring that students in both urban and rural areas have access to vocational training. Below is a list of major TVET centers in Phnom Penh and other provinces, along with their contact details and Google Map links:

Phnom Penh

1. National Technical Training Institute (NTTI)
   • Address: Russian Confederation Blvd, Phnom Penh
   • Phone: +855 23 882 701
   • Google Map: NTTI Phnom Penh
2. Cambodian-Thai Skills Development Institute
   • Address: St. 371, Sangkat Tumnob Tek, Phnom Penh
   • Phone: +855 23 720 555
   • Google Map: Cambodian-Thai Skills Development Institute

Siem Reap

3. Siem Reap Provincial Training Center
   • Address: National Road 6, Siem Reap
   • Phone: +855 12 345 678
   • Google Map: Siem Reap Provincial Training Center

Battambang

4. Battambang Polytechnic Institute
   • Address: National Road 5, Battambang
   • Phone: +855 53 730 123
   • Google Map: Battambang Polytechnic Institute

Sihanoukville

5. Sihanoukville Technical Training Center
   • Address: Independence Beach Road, Sihanoukville
   • Phone: +855 34 934 456
   • Google Map: Sihanoukville Technical Training Center

Kampot

6. Kampot Vocational Training School
   • Address: St. 33, Kampot
   • Phone: +855 33 933 789
   • Google Map: Kampot Vocational Training School

These are just a few examples of the many TVET centers operating across Cambodia. Each center offers various programs designed to meet the specific needs of the local economy, ensuring that students receive training in relevant and high-demand fields.

The Future of TVET in Cambodia

The future of TVET in Cambodia is promising. As the country continues to develop, the demand for skilled labor will only increase, and TVET programs will play a crucial role in meeting this demand. By equipping individuals with practical, job-ready skills, TVET helps to promote social and economic mobility, reduce poverty, and drive national development.

Whether you are a young person just starting your career, an adult looking to upgrade your skills, or someone interested in changing careers, TVET offers valuable opportunities for growth and success. By enrolling in a TVET program, you can develop the skills necessary to thrive in today’s competitive job market.

Share Your Experience

Have you ever enrolled in a TVET program in Cambodia? How was your experience? What skills did you learn, and how have they impacted your career? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

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It’s time to put an end to the long debate Flutter vs PWA vs Native. The Winner is PWA !

Having seen both sides of creating apps via PWA, Flutter, Native & Hybrid apps for over 4 years I can confidently say PWA is “THE FUTURE“.

Why is PWA so much better than any other technolgy. Why should you go for PWA and not for once think about anything else.

Simplicity

Creating PWA is so simple and easy. If you understand the basics and creating a PWA is really simple, but you have to take care to design your PWA properly, just the hacky stuff that some of the WordPress.org plugins claim to create every site a PWA.

PWA can be created in as less than 10-200 line of Code even for the most complex apps ! Our Learning management system PWA code is less than 200 lines and it is full featured with inbuilt Content Editor , Video recorded and Artifical intelligence.

Compare with Flutter / Native / Hybrid apps, 200 lines is a clear winner. You save time, money and a lot of mind trouble.

Single Code base for Web + Mobile + TV

Your web and apps share the same code base. Maintaining 2 projects for same thing is a PITA for every developer. Next comes the development overhead, you create a Feature A in web and now you need to create it for the Apps.

Native apps: you have to create it both for android and ios.

Flutter / React Native, you re-write code then compile and release. For flutter you have to learn DART language as well ( learning new language just for creating app and tomorrow Google invests in another project what then ? ).

Not just FAST , Blazing fast

PWA is blazing fast. Faster than Native and definitely Flutter. The main thing is that when you create a PWA you focus on 1 element, that PWA should load fast on web and all platforms. Designing PWA involves strategies to make it load fast.

Native app developers claim native is faster than PWA sure it is faster by 10ms ( less than a blink of the eye ).

Common Sense : Any app which pulls data from a server via REST API will have the same lag that is involved in downloading data from the server. Once the data is downloaded from the server (2-300ms), the native app renders in 30ms and PWA in 50ms. Now question is are you willing to spend $2000+ to save those 20ms ? Or put those $2000 in marketing or new feature.

Offline View : For Flutter and React native you do almost equal ( >= ) amount of work and create strategies to make then load fast and store content for offline view. With PWA you do that work once so this is half the work. Native is not in the competition here.

Conversion to Apps & publish on App Stores.

PWAs can be easily converted into apps for both iOS , Android, Microsoft, Samsung. For Mobile, tablets and Desktops. Further, PWAs can be published on app stores with much ease. The PWABuilder tool from microsoft directly converts PWA into mobile apps ready to be published on app stores.

With PWA you really do not need to upload on App stores, if you say it improves traffic or viewership then you are wrong. Studies have revealed that an App on App store does not bring in more traffic or give additional exposure. If it is brand value you are after PWA can also give you mobile apps.

Maintenance & Updates.

Honestly not many business think about this, they fall into the trap of building an over expensive app, along with a service provider who charges exorbitantly on app maintenance. Few years later you realise, you have invested so much on the damn project that you are actually making a loss by choosing the wrong technology & provider.

What if a bug appears, you will need to contact both App and web teams to follow up and implement fixes.

Feature : Feature is developed once in PWA and is available in all platforms at once including the web.

While for PWA all App + web infrastructure and traffic is same , for other Native/Hybrid you have to maintain your traffic in 2 different categories : App traffic, Web traffic. Maintain different bug logs, different projects , feature lists, releases and the list goes on and on. Sooner of later you are bound to get headaches and

Scalability

This part is about load & traffic, PWA optimises the traffic load between the browser and the server. No other technology does that.

When your app really starts attracting more and more traffic, you would need additional infrastructure for the App.

Sure there are uber-expensive scalable options on the server infrastructure but not everyone can afford it and actually it does not make any sense as well when you compare with a PWA.

A PWA never goes down even when your server does, even when your internet does. It saves the responses and posts when the server and internet is back online. Now that scalability you can not afford.

Conclusion

IF you are planning to create a project for Web or App, where the majority content is to be loaded from a server via REST API / GraphQL it totally makes sense to use a PWA and not save additional resources on Server or developement of native apps. Think about How much you can save and use it in marketing and sales to boost your product.

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Blockchain Technology Challenges for Cambodia: A Deep Dive into the 2023 Report.

Blockchain technology has garnered global attention for its ability to provide transparency, security, and efficiency across various industries. However, for Cambodia, a country in Southeast Asia that is rapidly developing, adopting blockchain technology presents a unique set of challenges. The “Blockchain Technology Readiness for Cambodia Report 2023” by the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology & Innovation delves into these obstacles, highlighting the technological, economic, social, security, and privacy issues that must be addressed to make blockchain adoption a reality in Cambodia.

1. Technological Challenges in Cambodia

Infrastructure Deficiencies

One of the primary hurdles for blockchain adoption in Cambodia is its technological infrastructure. Blockchain technology relies heavily on robust internet connectivity to maintain the distributed ledger and validate transactions. Unfortunately, Cambodia’s internet infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, remains underdeveloped. The digital divide between urban and rural areas could significantly hinder the widespread use of blockchain technology. While efforts to expand internet access have been ongoing since 2021, challenges such as limited resources and geographical barriers persist, affecting the country’s blockchain readiness.

Additionally, a reliable power supply is crucial for the uninterrupted operation of blockchain nodes, which validate and record transactions on the network. However, Cambodia’s power grid is prone to outages and fluctuations, as seen in the planned power outages for maintenance in 2023. These interruptions could compromise the stability of blockchain networks, making them less reliable and less attractive for businesses and government use.

Shortage of Skilled Professionals

Another significant challenge is the shortage of skilled professionals in blockchain technology. Designing and implementing blockchain solutions requires specialized knowledge and expertise, which are currently scarce in Cambodia. Although some universities have begun offering courses on blockchain, it will take time to build a workforce with the necessary skills. To bridge this gap, Cambodia may need to seek international collaboration and invest in training programs to upskill its workforce.

Regulatory and Interoperability Challenges

Blockchain’s decentralized nature poses a challenge to traditional regulatory frameworks. Cambodia needs to develop comprehensive regulations that address issues such as data privacy, security, and the legality of smart contracts. Striking a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring compliance is critical. Moreover, interoperability—the ability of different blockchain platforms and applications to communicate effectively—remains a challenge. For blockchain technology to be effective in sectors like healthcare and supply chain management, it must be able to integrate seamlessly across different systems.

Scalability Issues

As blockchain adoption grows, the infrastructure must be able to handle an increasing number of transactions without compromising performance. This scalability challenge is not unique to Cambodia but is fundamental to blockchain technology. With the emerging fintech sector and initiatives like the National Bank of Cambodia’s Bakong blockchain-based payment system, there is a need for scalable solutions to support increased usage.

2. Economic and Social Challenges

High Costs of Implementation

The high cost of implementing blockchain solutions is another barrier, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cambodia. Developing and maintaining a blockchain system can be expensive, with costs varying based on the complexity of the application and the number of users. High initial costs and ongoing maintenance fees can deter businesses from adopting blockchain technology, especially when the economic benefits are not immediately clear.

Energy Consumption Concerns

Blockchain technologies, particularly those based on Proof-of-Work (PoW) algorithms, are energy-intensive. In a developing country like Cambodia, where energy infrastructure is still evolving, the high energy consumption required for blockchain could be a significant barrier. This not only affects costs but also raises environmental concerns, making it harder to justify the widespread adoption of such technologies.

Digital Literacy and Gender Disparities

Limited digital literacy among Cambodian youth and small businesses further impedes the effective use of blockchain applications. Bridging this knowledge gap is crucial for ensuring equal participation in a blockchain-driven economy. Additionally, gender disparities in access to education and technical training could exacerbate existing socio-economic inequalities, as women might be less likely to engage with new technologies like blockchain.

Financial Inclusion and Regulatory Uncertainty

While blockchain has the potential to enhance financial inclusion by reaching the unbanked and underbanked populations, creating user-friendly and accessible applications is essential. Moreover, the regulatory uncertainty surrounding blockchain in Cambodia poses risks for businesses and investors. The lack of a clear legal framework can hinder innovation and deter investment in the sector.

3. Security and Privacy Concerns

Balancing Security and Privacy

Blockchain technology offers enhanced security features, such as data integrity, transparency, and traceability. However, achieving these benefits in Cambodia involves navigating a complex landscape of privacy and security concerns. For instance, public blockchains prioritize anonymity, which can conflict with regulatory requirements for user identification on private or government-run blockchains. This tension creates challenges for blockchain adoption in sectors that require high levels of privacy and data protection.

Vulnerability to Attacks

Blockchain networks are not immune to security breaches. Risks such as 51% attacks, where a single entity controls the majority of the network’s computing power, could enable manipulation of the blockchain. Other vulnerabilities, like DDoS attacks and smart contract flaws, present additional challenges. Ensuring robust security measures while maintaining the decentralization that blockchain is known for is a delicate balance that Cambodia must achieve.

Legal and Cross-Jurisdictional Challenges

Given blockchain’s cross-jurisdictional nature, legal and regulatory complexities are heightened, especially regarding compliance with data protection and anti-money laundering regulations. Cambodia needs to develop a legal framework that addresses these challenges while promoting innovation.

4. Strategic Recommendations for Overcoming Challenges

To address these challenges, Cambodia must adopt a multi-faceted approach:

• Infrastructure Development: Investment in internet connectivity and power supply infrastructure is critical. This includes expanding access to rural areas and ensuring a stable power supply to support blockchain networks.
• Skill Development: Encouraging the development of blockchain courses in universities and promoting international collaboration for training programs can help build a skilled workforce.
• Regulatory Framework: Developing a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework that balances innovation with security and privacy concerns is crucial. This includes addressing interoperability and scalability issues to promote widespread adoption.
• Public Awareness and Inclusion: Raising awareness about blockchain technology through education and training programs can help bridge the digital literacy gap. Additionally, promoting gender inclusivity in technology training can ensure broader participation in the blockchain economy.
• Security Enhancements: Implementing advanced security measures and developing a governance framework that addresses both the technical and regulatory aspects of blockchain can help mitigate risks and vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

Blockchain technology offers immense potential for Cambodia’s socio-economic development, but its adoption is fraught with challenges. By addressing these technological, economic, social, security, and privacy issues, Cambodia can create a favorable environment for blockchain adoption. Collaborative efforts between the government, private sector, and civil society are essential to build a sustainable blockchain ecosystem that maximizes benefits while minimizing risks. With strategic planning and investment, Cambodia can position itself as a significant player in the global blockchain landscape.

Read full report here: Report: Blockchain technology Readiness for Cambodia

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