Phnom Penh, Cambodia: On the morning of 17 July 2026, Mr. Puthra Sophonra, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism Vocational Training, representing Dr. Chuob Ratana, Director of the Department of Tourism Vocational Training and Head of the Secretariat of the HoKa Project Management Committee, together with two departmental officials, participated in a technical consultation meeting with representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT).
The meeting was facilitated by Swisscontact through its Skills Development Programme (SDP), with the participation of Mr. Nhep Mengcheang, Deputy Programme Manager of SDP, Mr. Kong Dara, Head of the Cambodia Hospitality Programme at Swisscontact, and representatives from ATP Consulting. The discussion was held at the Swisscontact Office in Phnom Penh.
The primary objective of the meeting was to discuss the technical framework for developing the Tourism Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Standards Packages for Technical and Vocational Certificates Levels I, II, and III in four priority hospitality occupations:
* Front Office Operations
* Food and Beverage Service
* Housekeeping
* Food Production (Cookery)
The consultation focused on ensuring that the proposed training standards are fully aligned with the existing national legal and regulatory framework governing technical and vocational education and training in Cambodia.
The development of these competency-based training standards forms part of the broader initiative to establish twelve nationally recognized tourism qualifications in accordance with the Cambodian Qualifications Framework (CQF). This initiative will strengthen the quality of Cambodia’s tourism workforce by providing transparent learning pathways, nationally recognized competency standards, and flexible opportunities for learners to progress through formal education or obtain qualifications through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) based on their professional experience.
Furthermore, the establishment of a competency-based training and assessment system aligned with national standards will enhance the quality and competitiveness of Cambodia’s tourism workforce, better respond to the evolving needs of the private sector, strengthen the country’s competitiveness within ASEAN and internationally, and contribute to the implementation of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s human capital development agenda under the Seventh Legislature of the National Assembly. In particular, it supports the Government’s flagship initiative to provide technical and vocational education and training opportunities for 1.5 million young people, aimed at improving skills, employment opportunities, income generation, and promoting sustainable national economic development.
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