On March 6, 2025, we held our “1st Young Entrepreneurs Gathering in 2025 (YEG) “, joined by business leaders, including Oknha Pech Bolen, President of YEAC, Mr. Ky Sokkim, Chief Executive Officer of the Skills Development Fund, Ms. Phan Sonita, President of the Executive Committee of MettYeung Association, and Mrs. Tep Vathana, National Programme Officer the Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY) programme Phase 3 of the International Labor Organization (ILO). More than 120 business owners from various sectors also attended.

The gathering focused on fostering collaboration with key partner institutions—especially the Skills Development Fund—and included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the MettYeung Association. Participants also explored global trend shaping the development of the micro, small, and medium enterprise sector and discussed the challenges faced by Cambodian business owners, drawing on survey insights to shape the Association’s 2030 strategic plan.

The collaboration with the Skills Development Fund is designed to offer members practical opportunities to learn about skills development and to advance both personal and institutional growth for entrepreneurs and their employees. In parallel, business owners received updates on support programs that strengthen the local and international skills and entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the MettYeung Association establishes a framework for joint initiatives in skill training, upskilling, reskilling, mobile training, recognition of prior learning, and current competency assessment. This partnership aims to enhance employment opportunities, promote decent work, ensure income stability, and boost the competitiveness of the Cambodian workforce through a variety of training formats—including long courses, short courses, workshops, internships, and exchange programs.