Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia


Switzerland together with UN will strengthen Cambodia’s Technical and Vocational Education System to address key challenges for its large young population entering the labour market every year. The project supports young women and men to acquire relevant skills and information to respond to current and future labour market needs and to obtain decent and productive employment. It also contributes to more inclusive policies and improved coordination with the private sector. 

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Cambodia
Vocational training
Employment & economic development
Education
nothemedefined
Vocational training
Employment creation
Basic life skills
01.05.2020 - 31.03.2024
CHF  4’115’333
Background Two thirds of Cambodia’s population is under the age of 30, making up about 43% of the total working age population. However, youth face significant challenges, entering the labour market in a context of rapid structural and technological change with low technical and soft skills. 64% of youth in the industry sector for example is underqualified for the jobs available. According to Data for 2017/2018 at least 86% of students completed primary education, however 15.8% of students dropped out of lower secondary school, impeding them to enrol for a formal TVET programme. The capacity of the TVET system itself to respond to changing market needs remains hindered by factors such inadequate resourcing and coordination as well as yet weak private sector engagement in skills development. However, various policies acknowledge and address the identified gaps and problems and there is increasing dialogue and cooperation between government and private sector.
Objectives Young women and men increasingly obtain decent and productive employment opportunities.
Target groups The project targets young women and men with a focus on vulnerable youth in and out of school such as school drop outs, young women and men in informal work, young women and men from rural areas, young low skilled workers with low levels of basic education, including literacy, exposing them to risk of abuse and discrimination at the workplace, as well as social exclusion in general.
Medium-term outcomes

1.    Young women and men in Cambodia have demand-driven skills and competencies including soft, life, green and digital skills relevant to current and future labour market needs; 

2.    Young women and men in Cambodia have adequate entrepreneurial capacity and increasingly access business development services;

3.    Young women and men in Cambodia are able to make career decisions based on relevant knowledge and support services for decent and productive employment.

Results

Expected results:  

1.1    Improved quality, effectiveness and coordination of  national TVET system

1.2    Increased private sector engagement in TVET design and delivery

1.3    Increased availability of training in life, soft, green, and digital literacy skills through formal and non-formal education, TVET and out-of-school programmes

2.1    Improved enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship and enterprises

2.2    Gender and green-responsive entrepreneurship education/training, including ready-for-business soft skills,  expanded to more secondary schools and TVET institutes, as well as to more out-of-school youth and youth business

3.1    Increased availability of gender  responsive career advisory, counselling and information services, as well as employability training

3.2    Effective mechanisms and processes  are in place to enable voices of youth to influence national policy-making, programme development and implementation with respect to quality and availability of youth employment


Results from previous phases:  

-    1,380 (F: 38%) youths accessed TVET; 

-    3,000 (F: 47%) children at high risk of dropping out were reintegrated to schools through remedial education. Basic Education Equivalency Programme (BEEP) has been integrated into the Education Strategic Plan 2019-2023. It provides an online-based learning opportunity to out-of-school youth to obtain a certificate equivalent to 9 years schooling; 

-    21,400 (F: 51%) students in school years 7 to 9 attended entrepreneurship education in 66 lower secondary schools. Ministery of Education, Youth and Sports (MoEYS has integrated the roll out of entrepreneurship education using Know About Business training modules in Education Strategic Plan 2019-2023; 

-    32,700 (F: 53%) students in school year 7 and 9 participated in local life skills education implemented in 83 lower secondary schools. MoEYS has adopted Local Life Skills Education as a core subject in the national curriculum to ensure young women and men access key skills such as Skills for Learning, for Personal Empowerment, for Employability and for Citizenship; 

-    Increased awareness of 10’000 youth job seekers and workers on youth rights and responsibilities at work.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • International Labor Organization


Other partners

SDC’s support is a contribution to a UN Youth programme.

The International Labor Organization is the Administrative and Convening Agent and the contract partner with SDC.

Coordination with other projects and actors

SDC Skills Development Program

SDC Regional Project PROMISE

Skills Development Fund

ADB-TVET supported projects

Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    4’115’333 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    3’865’333
Project phases Phase 2 01.05.2020 - 31.03.2024   (Current phase) Phase 1 01.09.2017 - 29.02.2020   (Completed)