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The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has made youth development a priority to build human resources equipped with the right technical and vocational skills to meet the evolving labour market needs. However, persistent high dropout rates, especially at the lower secondary level, mean that a significant proportion of youth are outside the formal education system and do not have the required educational qualification to enrol in further education and skills development at TVET institutes and General and Technical High Schools. Without alternative pathways to access TVET, many of these young people are often unemployed, under-employed or remain in low-wage employment.

To respond to the issue of school dropouts, UNESCO together with the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) launched the Basic Education Equivalency Programme (BEEP) to ensure inclusive access to skills training and decent employment where they can meaningfully contribute to the future of the Cambodian economy and society. Through BEEP, out-of-school youth are equipped with entrepreneurial, digital, workplace and 21^st century skills that prepare them in undertaking formal TVET programmes. Upon completion of the programme, learners receive a certificate equivalent to Grade 9 that is accredited by both ministries which enables them to enrol in formal TVET programmes.

Youth outside the formal education system often lack the opportunity to meet other peers, employers and career advisors to better understand the technical and workplace skills that employers look for or discuss their career aspirations. To give BEEP learners a head start, the MLVT and MoEYS with the support of UNESCO, organised a TVET study tour in Battambang province on 25 and 26 May 2023 to provide learners with the opportunity to connect and exchange ideas with employers, TVET institutes, the National Employment Agency (NEA) and other peers from the programme. Participants also had the opportunity to visit three TVET institutes and the NEA, where they learned firsthand the different types of technical skills and career options.

Attended by over 200 BEEP learners, the event was the latest in a series of planned study tours to be organised in Cambodia to support learners and graduates with their transition from BEEP to TVET by promoting greater awareness of TVET, as well as equipping learners with the knowledge and practical skills to help them succeed in their preparation for pursuing further skills development and obtaining decent employment. Throughout the two-day event, participants learned about the TVET programmes and labour market trends in Cambodia, techniques to prepare for a successful job application, identifying future employers and understanding the kind of careers they wish to build.

“The study tour was a new experience for me. I learned so much from the speakers who shared their knowledge and inspiring advice. I also made many new friends here. The best part was the visit to the workshops of TVET institutes,” said Mr Sorn Odom, one of the BEEP graduates who attended the event.