Cambodia urged to future-proof jobs with digital skills

This comes after the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s assessment that countries like Cambodia need a workforce equipped with digital and automation skills to stay relevant in the context of Industry 4.0. 

“It is important that the country has a strategy for both digital skills and human skills, and a clear vision to upskill today’s current roster of jobs in Cambodia,” the UNDP said in a website article. 

It advised the government to collate more data on the types of jobs that will be lost and those that will be gained in the future workforce to get a clearer picture of where the country should put its focus to bridge the skills gap. 

This move would then help it formulate clear and actionable work plans to reskill the workforce for tomorrow’s opportunities with a goal towards a digital society. 

UNDP added that the path to reskilling and upskilling would require a strong collaboration between the government and private sectors. 

READ: Cambodia approves projects that will create 9,500 jobs

On its part, the government needs to be ready to seize opportunities and respond to challenges created by new economic sectors, SME development, enhancement of the productivity and efficiency of the agriculture sector, improvement of the health system, a capacity enhancement to deal with natural disasters as well as effective urban management and environmental management. 

Under the country’s Rectangular Strategy Phase 4, the government has plans to develop education and training programmes with particular emphasis on digital technology, according to Khmer Times.