Higher education fails to fill gaps

Cambodia’s higher education system counts around 105 universities and institutions, sending out an estimated 200,000 young graduated students into the job-market every year. According to the latest World Bank Report 2013, Cambodia’s unemployment rate is 0.3 per cent, one of the lowest in the world. It simply means the job market is big enough to absorb the job-seekers for years to come.

However, there is still room to diversify opportunities. The challenge is to ensure that graduated students are not entering the market in whichever position is available, but to ensure that they have the chance to enter the job market in a position that matches their skills, requirements and expectations.

I strongly believe that solving that problem will reduce the alarming employee turn-over rates and will boost productivity, promote development and increase returns. Hospitality, trade, import/export, banking and education are where most job vacancies are nowadays. Nevertheless, other sectors such as information technology, automotive and construction are climbing fast.

Joseph Matthews is the director of the department of International Cooperation at Asia Euro University.

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