AKP Phnom Penh, January 29, 2026 -- 

The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chambers of Commerce in Australia to strengthen skills exchange and provide Cambodian interns with training aligned to Australian standards.

The MoU was signed on Jan. 29, at the Ministry by H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training; Mr. Tan Sith Tee, President of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce Representative Office in Melbourne; and Mr. Jeremy Crawford, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce in Geelong, Victoria.

According to the Ministry, the agreement focuses on cooperation in skills exchange, student training and employment-oriented training, with the principal aim of establishing structured internship and practical training programmes that meet Australian benchmarks.

Under the framework, the parties will collaborate on developing and implementing internship and apprenticeship programmes, facilitating the exchange of students and trainees for skills training, internships and apprenticeships in Australia, and promoting networks and partnerships between training institutions in both countries.

The cooperation is also expected to pave the way for scholarship and exchange programmes, offering Cambodian trainees, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) instructors and students the opportunity to take part in short-term and long-term courses that support cultural exchange and skills transfer.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, H.E. Heng Sour welcomed the agreement, describing it as an important mechanism to build high-quality human capital with “clear skills, standards and professional conscience” to meet labour market demand at home and abroad, particularly amid the rapid evolution of global digital technology.

H.E. Heng Sour said the MoU reflects the strong and positive relationship between Cambodia and Australia and opens “a new and meaningful chapter” for Cambodia’s vocational training sector.

By Sum Kosal