AKP Phnom Penh, September 14, 2026 --

The 16th National Job and Productivity Fair achieved three major objectives and attracted approximately 120,000 visitors both in person and online, H.E. Heng Sour, Minister of Labour and Vocational Training, said at the closing ceremony on Sept. 13.

Held for two days at the Koh Pich Convention and Exhibition Centre in Phnom Penh under the theme “Skills and Jobs: Labour Productivity for Sustainable Economic Growth,” the annual fair brought together nearly 800 participants at the closing ceremony.

H.E. Heng Sour said the first objective was to provide job-matching and career counselling services through a new “Job Park,” offering job seekers and students one-stop services ranging from CV preparation and career advice to job applications and on-the-spot interviews.

He described the initiative as an initial step in shifting the approach from “waiting to serve” to “bringing services closer to the people.”

The second objective was to raise awareness of current and future skills needs. Through panel discussions with key speakers, participants gained a better understanding of the importance of skills and labour productivity in sustaining economic growth and competitiveness, while helping align training programmes with industrial and technological developments.

The third objective was to provide a public discussion platform where high school students could exchange ideas with workers, training providers, employers and other stakeholders, helping young people better understand the importance of skills in improving productivity.

The Minister said that despite global uncertainties, Cambodia continues to provide employment opportunities, particularly for young people in the garment sector. He added that the Royal Government would continue improving the investment environment to enable enterprises to expand and increase investment to create more jobs.

According to H.E. Ms. Ouch Cheachanmolika, Director-General of the National Employment Agency, around 20,000 CVs were submitted by job seekers, while companies conducted about 5,000 on-site interviews, resulting in nearly 3,000 successful job placements. Companies will continue recruiting candidates following the fair.

ILO Representative to Cambodia, Laos and Thailand Ms. Helen Kirsch congratulated Cambodia on the successful event, stressing that the future workforce will require technical, digital and soft skills. She called on young people to continue learning, adapting and upgrading their skills, while the ILO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Cambodia in promoting more and better jobs, stronger labour-market institutions, higher productivity and decent work for all.

By C. Nika