Interview with Makara Men, Deputy Director General of Education at Pour un Sourire d'Enfant
For the first interview of 2025, EuroCham Senior Communications Officer Stew Post met with Makara Men, Deputy Director General of Education at Pour un Sourire d'Enfant.
As one of Cambodia's leading non-governmental organisations working to prepare young Cambodia's for entrance into a dynamic labour market, their conversation touched on PSE's goals and educational strategies. Vocational training and ongoing communication with local and international business leaders is key to PSE's work.
Stew: Good morning Makara and thank you for speaking with EuroCham today. Can you first tell us a bit more about yourself and your role at PSE?
Makara: Good morning. I’m the Deputy General Director of PSE, in charge of Education. I joined PSE in 2007 as an English teacher and I’m now in charge of all questions related to education. Since I joined, I have been touched many times by all the beautiful stories from our former students who are now living a happy life and working in a safe environment.
At PSE, we support 7,000 students from kindergarten to higher studies, our goal being to help them find qualified jobs despite their vulnerable backgrounds. In order to achieve that, our programs are built to meet the needs of children in every dimension. All the families we support have access to health programs, rice distribution, accommodation, etc.
When I see the smiles on their faces everyday, I can feel that what we are doing is really impactful! We make these kids happy and this is the best gift.
Stew: An important element of what sets PSE apart from other schools and educational institutions is its focus on vocational training and finding students employment after graduation. How do you make sure these students are well prepared to enter the work force?
Makara: PSE takes a holistic and strategic approach to vocational training to ensure our students are well-prepared for the dynamic and competitive job market.
Our preparation begins with an in-depth analysis of labor market trends and challenges. By engaging with industry partners, employers, and government representatives, we continuously review and update our curriculum to align with market demands. This includes identifying high-demand skills, understanding the evolving needs of industries, and integrating innovative practices into our training programs.
For example, 70% of our training emphasises hands-on practice, while 30% covers essential theoretical foundations. This balance ensures that students gain practical experience and can adapt quickly to real-world professional environments.
Additionally, we focus on developing transferable skills that go beyond technical knowledge. Our students are trained in soft skills that support employability, such as financial literacy, ICT skills and English, which are crucial for navigating the job market and advancing their careers.
To maintain the quality of training, we prioritise hiring highly competent teachers and ensure that our programs meet national standards, culminating in government-recognised certifications. Despite the challenges our students face – many of whom have been excluded from education for much of their lives – we provide intensive support to close gaps and empower them to succeed.
By continuously adapting to market challenges, fostering partnerships with employers, and investing in our students' all-round development, we ensure they not only secure jobs but also thrive in their chosen fields.
Stew: An important part of successful internships – and fulfilling employment – is finding industries that fit the interests and motivation of students. Is there a process for placing students with potential employers?
Makara: Over the years, PSE has developed a network of companies from various fields which are ready to accept students for internships or apprenticeships. We have one team specifically dedicated to coordinating with that network and, more importantly, matching each intern with the most suitable company.
This team assesses each company’s expectations and aligns them with the skill level and qualities of students before an employment interview. The company and the student are then closely followed throughout the internship. This close working relationship encourages students to take on their own responsibilities and pursue employment after their graduation. 30% of our students will stay with the company where they conducted their internship.
For the others, we still support them as they benefit from CV preparations and mock interviews. We also share job announcements with them and provide opportunities during our annual career fair.
Each of our students is trained and individually supported. If their dream is to become a flight attendant, we will support them by giving them a chance to meet professionals from airline companies or we will offer them Chinese and French lessons. Another example: there are no basic requirements to join one of our vocational training programs except for motivation. If a student is willing to become a web developer or a plumber, we will make sure to support their goals.
Stew: The public and private sectors both emphasise the importance of digital technologies for Cambodia’s economic future. I know that you opened a web development training program last year that will have its first promotion of students ready to enter the job market in October 2025. How confident are you about their ability to find a job?
Makara: The tech market has been growing exponentially in recent years and more and more students have expressed interest in the subject. That’s why we decided to create a web development course with a certificate recognised by the ministry after two years of studies. I’m very proud of our students, the first two promotions are doing really great!
The project really puts an emphasis on making the students employable with almost every class conducted in English by qualified and experienced teachers but above all, through the development of project-based learning. This gives students the opportunity to work with established companies through study projects and internships to create websites, update their apps, etc.
We also designed this program with the help of a French web development school, Simplon, and all our teachers are actual web professionals. This means that when we create a professional training program our focus is always to be the closest as possible to the needs of the job market.
This isn’t just the case for the web development program though. Our School of Mechanics for example was designed and financed by Norauto, a French company dedicated to vehicle maintenance, repair and equipment. This is what makes PSE special I think: our ability to stay up to date with the latest needs.
So, to answer your question, I am very confident about our students’ ability to find jobs, and I’m looking forward to seeing where they will work in the future.
Stew: Besides this type of private-sector collaboration for program development, how else does PSE work with companies to support the next generation of Cambodians as they enter the workforce?
Makara: The local company network surrounding PSE has a huge impact on the education of our students and every company has found its own way of supporting us. We have more than 450 students looking for internships or apprenticeships every year. Others potential employers meet students during company visits to help them with their orientation and career pathways.
Moreover, some companies deliver technical classes to students as we can see in our food production program and film school for example. Feedback from companies is essential to improve our courses and the skills taught to our students.
Another great way we help students is during our annual career fair where dozens of companies join and come together to speak with students, conduct mock interviews, receive CV’s and – for some of them – find the golden gem among our students to be part of their team.
Our success is evident in outcomes: according to our latest survey, 90% of graduates from our five vocational schools secured employment within three months of graduation. This is a testament to the effectiveness of our strategic alignment with market needs, from curriculum development to the final stages of job placement.
For more information or if you want to donate, visit PSE website www.pse.ngo
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