Laos Boosts Vocational Training to Fill Skills Gap and Meet Job Market Demands

The Technical and Vocational Education Department in Laos aims to increase enrollment in vocational programs, targeting over 24,000 students in the 2024-2025 academic year. This initiative addresses the skills gap by partnering technical colleges with private companies. The goal is to ensure graduates possess practical skills aligned with industry requirements. Focus is given to hands-on training in high-demand fields like mechanical repair, electrical technology, and automotive repair. Courses have been improved, and new programs introduced to enhance teaching quality and boost enrollment. A dual cooperative training program, involving over 1,000 students, provides real-world job experience, improving skills in mechanical and electrical engineering. These partnerships develop study plans based on Lao and foreign job market needs. Efforts are also underway to improve teaching standards and administrative efficiency at the country's 25 vocational institutions. The government encourages secondary school graduates to pursue vocational education to support Laos' development.