Our actions in Cambodia
Launched in 2005 in Phnom Penh,Passerelles Numériques Cambodia (PNC); previously known as CIST, offers a 2 year IT training program based on a holistic educative approach including technical and soft skills, and a personal development program.
Context
Financial difficulties continue to be a barrier for high school graduates to pursue their higher education in Cambodia.
60% of the working poor population survives with less than $3 USD a day.In consequence, many young Cambodians must drop their studies, move to neighboringcountries, and end up working in very difficult conditions to send some money home.
77% of the population lives in rural areas and 49% is under 25. Most secondary education is provided on a fee-paying basis, and is therefore inaccessible to most students, especially in rural areas.
Key dates
- 2020: PNC is supported by the Skills Development Fund (linked to the Cambodian Ministry of Economy and Finance & the Asian Development Bank).
- 2016: PNC launches the ‘Openh’ Project, a vast program to update the curriculum of the 2-year training.
- 2015: Passerelles numériques Cambodia celebrates its 10 year anniversary.
- 2014: PN Cambodia’s 1st Career Forum.
- 2011: for the 1st time, a total of 100 students joined our 2-year program.
- 2009: Launch of a second major: WEP (Web Programming).
- 2007: Inauguration of PNC building and first graduation ceremony of 20 students (SNA major).
- 2005: Launch of Passerelles numériques’ first program in Phnom Penh, with 25 students. One major in SNA (System & Network Administration).
Impact
Once they have found a job, all our graduates support their family and their community. On average, our alumni give back 31% of their salary to their families.
graduates
the graduate’s average monthly wage (USD)
%
graduates employed within 3 months of graduation
%
of our graduates work in the IT sector
Selection
Each year, from February to September, Passerelles numériques’ selection team covers 10 to 24 provinces all over the country and goes through a rigorous 4-step process to select talented and motivated underprivileged youths.
Passerelles numériques successfully collaborates with local high schools and partner NGOs in pre-selecting students, relying on their unique awareness of the economic situation of each student.
A special effort is made to include at least 50% of young women, and beyond that, priority is given to the poorest boys or girls.
Training and education program
At the end of the 2-year training, graduating students receive a PNC certificate and an Associate’s Degree diploma (for the ones who passed the state exam), recognized by the MoEYS. Graduates also have the possibility to carry on studying in year three at University, if they pass the state exam.
We make a continuous effort to improve the quality of our training, adjust it to the needs of a fast changing market and ensure our students are as competitive as their university graduate counterparts. Therefore, PN Cambodia launched the ‘Openh’ project in October 2016, a vast program to update the curriculum of our 2-year training answering two main objectives:
- To make sure our students gain the soft and hard skills necessary to not only earn a job, but also to advance in their career and be able to self-learn. To do so, we started providing more interactive activities and a student-centered approach, allowing students to take ownership in the learning process.
- To improve students English skills as this is a necessary prerequisite for furthering their career.
A solid technical and practical 2-year training
System & Network Administration (SNA)
- Server Systems Administration (Microsoft, Linux)
- Cisco CCNA (based on CCNA, a world-recognized Certification)
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud Computing and Virtualization (AWS cloud service and Hyper-V)
- Mikrotik MTCNA RouterOS (based on Mikrotik Academy Certification)
- Computer Architecture and Operating System
- Network Infrastructure
Web Programming (WEP)
- Web Front End (HTML / CSS, Javascript, Design, CMS Basics, Javascript frameworks, Usability Principles, Responsive Design & Bootstrap)
- Web Back End (PHP Basics, PHP MVC, PHP Frameworks, MySQL Advanced, Rest API)
- Object Oriented Programming (Java programming, MySQL Advanced)
- Development Tools & processes (UML/DB Design, PHP Advanced, Algorithms, Testing)
A general training in professional skills
Passerelles numériques Cambodia also provides an intense curriculum to enhance graduates’ employability. Designed to match local company needs, it focuses on IT practice – via practical projects, English language, professional and soft skills (logical thinking, autonomy, initiative, etc.).
Students have the opportunity to put into practice their IT and soft skills during a four months internship at the end of the training.
Social and educational development
To prepare these young people to become mature and independent adults, we developed a personal development curricula which revolves around PN’s values: Trust, Responsibility, Solidarity, and Respect.
Life skills are learned through specially designed modules to ensure personal growth of each student, based on a monthly educational topic (e.g. self-awareness, hygiene and security, communication, environmental consciousness, etc.). This program is supervised by a dedicated team with educators, a counselor, and a nurse.
In order for our students to focus on their intense studies, PNC covers their needs and expenses including:
- Material support: student housing, equipment, financial support, medical care and health insurance
- Moral and educational support: follow-up and counseling throughout their studies
- A monthly allowance to cover food and other expenses
Our alumni
Since 2005, 1,485 young people graduated from Passerelles numériques Cambodia and over 625 of them are active members of the alumni association.
Founded in 2008, PNC Alumni Association organises many activities such as professional workshops, an annual football contest, party, charity trip, etc. They support financially some of PNC’s activities such as the Graduation Ceremony.
PNC Alumni Association also closely supports the External Relations department in the guidance to employment program (internship and job search, training courses for students and leadership skills, entrepreneurship, etc.).
Since 2012, PN Cambodia alumni joined the Solidarity Act program after graduating and finding a job. Each month, they give back a small amount to PNC to contribute to the future generations of students.
Testimonials
If I think about my IT skills and self-discipline, I always remember PNC. They provided me with both technical and professional skills. Two years that I have been training there with many good trainers, they brought me to the technology world and brought me to visit different companies to see how the company works and behave. I was a student who studied web programming generation 2012 and currently, I am working in a private company with acceptable income to support my family. Not only financial support but also be a good sample for my community to bring their children to school for getting higher education so that they can make my community sustainable development.
Vibol YOEUNGI love to share my knowledge and experience in terms of programming and development to our young generations who struggling in financial support to further their study in the technology field.
I am thrilled and no words could express how happy I am to see our students’ outcome at the end of their two years’ study at PNC. They become knowledgeable and mature people with very concrete technical and soft skills which could benefit not only to themselves but also to their family, community and society as a whole. Overall, there is a strong teamwork spirit at PN: we have a real understanding and friendly working environment and everyone has sharpened wills to help the students without conditions.
PNC has become my new home. I feel like we are just one big family. I am being taking care of by good people such as teachers and classmates. PNC has helped me realize that I can be a leader.
Dara DUONGMain partners supporting PN Cambodia
Passerelles numériques Cambodia has built through the years a large network of partners who contribute to our success. A large number of companies have subscribed to our innovative model of shared skills sponsorship. Support can be provided through financial or material donations, training, selection, etc.
Other local partners
