No Place Like Home: The Cambodian Garment Workers’ Perspective on Their Skills Development Needs
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Abstract/Summary
Developing skills for current workforce is indispensable in today’s economy. In an attempt to promote investment in skill training for workers in a Cambodian backbone sector, namely garment and textile, this study explores and identifies the problem of underinvestment in their skill training. A total of 787 individual workers are randomly selected using two stages of sampling procedure. The study shows their lack of adequate workplace skills and competencies for career growth related to several reasons, include but not limited to, narrow concentration of jobs, little exposure to valuable skills training, lack of motivation to receive further training specifically for current employment. In addition, the study shows their high aspiration for relocating closer to their home with multiple competencies they need to develop to set up a small family business. To reinvigorate their participation in skill development programs, policy implications are proposed in two areas: (1) training for an increase in productivity and (2) training for marketable skills.