Workers armed with soft skills
NEARLY 2,000 workers from five factories in Bavet town attended a soft skills training event organised by the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training to increase productivity and efficiency in preparation for getting new jobs in the future.
Svay Rieng provincial Labour and Vocational Training Department director Ou Sokhoeun said on Sunday that the training courses were held for workers at five factories in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Bavet town which suspended production.
Company representatives sent a total of 1,848 workers to participate in the training.
“Soft skills training sessions are held to increase productivity and work efficiency. They also help nurture professional relationships in the workplace and gets workers ready for new jobs. Workers also need to have this soft skills training just to qualify to get government subsidies,” Sokhoeun said.
A ministry official who asked not to be named said: “We have prepared several work-related lessons covering communication skills, the art of negotiating, group work, basics of labour law, dispute resolution procedures, workers’ basic rights, benefits of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), occupational safety and health and especially Covid-19 prevention measures.”
Ven Savanen, a Collective Union of Movement of Workers activist at the You Li International factory in Bavet town told The Post: “I do not know what percentage of our workers can understand what was taught. But for me, it is good that the ministry is providing such training.
“Before we go on strike, we have to think about the law, and if someone violates our rights, how do we address the matter? I think, it’s much better,” he said.
He said the factory where he worked suspended operations from March to mid-July. The factory is expected to reopen at the end of July with increased sanitary measures in place.
Em Sarath, one of the workers who attended the training, said he gained a lot of knowledge and skills from the event. He thanked the government for organising it because it could improve his work and daily life.
Sarath said: “After participating in this training, I am very happy because it has made me better aware of the benefits of using the NSSF card, and I learned how to prevent and protect against Covid-19.
“This course has also made me understand how to negotiate and work in a group. I also learned about the labour law.”
The ministry’s Facebook post on June 28 said it organised training courses for seven factories and enterprises.
Among them, four were located in Phnom Penh. The other three are in Kandal, Kampong Speu and Pursat provinces. They involved a total of 8,585 workers.