Only Skilled Local Labor for WorldBridge

KHMER TIMES
SOK CHAN



The WorldBridge Group, which is building The Peak and The Bridge condominium projects, will only employ skilled local labor for its group of companies, according to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia (NPIC) on Friday.

Sear Rithy, chairman of WorldBridge Group, said that the skills needed to develop the country’s economy included machinery, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, civil construction, electrical engineering, information technology, automation systems and hospitality, adding that in in the context of the Asean Economic Community, Cambodia needed these skills to be more competitive.

“Currently, there are about 30 subsidiary companies under the WorldBridge Group, of which 95 percent of employees are local people while foreign labor is only five percent,” Mr. Rithy said.

“We want Cambodian skilled labor to replace the five percent of foreigners in the future, so signing an MoU with the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia is a way to supply skilled labor to WorldBridge Group.

“Why the WorldBridge Group still employs five percent foreigners is because Cambodia does not have those skills and thus, the company needs them. We learn and draw experiences from them and share it to the next generation. Sooner or later we will have those skills.”

Mr. Rithy pointed out that WorldBridge Land will cooperate with the government to build a public housing project for lower-middle-income families, which will begin by the end of the year. WorldBridge wants Cambodians, especially graduates from the NPIC, to work on this project.

Through this MoU, both parties will strengthen and develop existing skills as well as new skills particularly related to mechatronics, automation systems and hospitality to comply with market demand.

Bun Phearin, president of the NPIC, said his institute has provided students with skills that match market demand, especially in the construction sector including electrical engineering, electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, architecture, civil construction, general mechanics, mechatronics and more.

“Our vision is to supply these skills to the market to develop the country. We can train our students to have at least 99 percent ability and equip them with technical skills,” Mr. Phearin said.

“We are now ready to supply the human resource needs of the WorldBridge Group to contribute to develop the economy, especially in the context of the Asean Economic Community.”