A motorcycle repairman in Chak Angre Krom commune in Phnom Penh’s Meanchey district. Hean Rangsey
Minister of Labour and Vocational Training Ith Sam Heng on November 16 announced that workers who lost their jobs due to Covid-19 can apply for a free four-month technical and vocational training course.
Sam Heng said the course will cover several high-demand technical and vocational skills which will be useful now and in the future.
“During this special technical and vocational training, participants will receive a monthly allowance of 200,000 riel [$50] for food and accommodation expenses,” he said.
According to the announcement, workers who wish to attend this training course must bring their employment book, Khmer workers’ ID card and their Khmer nationality ID card to register at technical and vocational education and training institutions.
Pav Sina, the president of the Collective Union of Movement of Workers, told The Post on November 17 that while the training course presents a good opportunity for out-of-work citizens, the main concern is whether the job market will provide opportunities for them after they complete the course.
“Workers have been severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and they all need to find new jobs to support their livelihoods. So, the fact that they take four months to study, I don’t think it’s very long. But if their family is in a financial crisis, I think it will be an obstacle for them to learn these skills,” he said.
Sina said many important sectors, including industry, enterprises, services, casinos, guesthouses and hotels, seemed to have remained calm. Therefore, the ministry should look at how to ensure that workers who complete this short training course can find jobs.
Tens of thousands of workers, he added, were laid off as factories were closed or suspended due to Covid-19.
“When they learn these skills, what kind of job will they get after they finish? So, all these are issues that we have to look at. If they finish their training but they don’t find a job, that is still an obstacle for them. I hope that when they finish, both the government and the labour ministry will have jobs that match these skills,” Sina said.
Sina however encouraged workers who have lost their jobs to register for the short training course because it could be beneficial for them in the future.
A labour ministry official said the ministry will start accepting applications immediately. The course would start depending on the number of participants enrolled in each subject.
The four-month training will be offered at 12 institutions in the capital and several other provinces.
Subjects include electrical wiring, car repair and maintenance, Khmer-Thai cooking, coffee and beverage making, baking, cosmetology skills, computer repair and maintenance, restaurant management and computer graphic design and printing.
