New training centre to brighten job prospects

The new IV-Japan Mizuki Advanced Training Centre opened in Vientiane on Tuesday at the Vocational Education Development Centre, aiming to offer On the Job Training (OJT) to members of the public.
The opening ceremony of the centre was attended by Deputy Minister of Education and Sports Associate Professor Dr Kongsy Sengmany, Japanese Ambassador to Laos Ms Junko Yokota and other invited guests.
Construction of the centre took two months and was undertaken by locally-based Panyathip Construction Company at a cost of US$50,400. The new two-storey facility includes an office, meeting room, dining room, kitchen, beauty parlour, massage room, garment room and four toilets.

Speaking at the ceremony, IV-Japan Representative Ms Sachiko Tominaga said the centre is located on Lao-Thai Road in Vatnak village, Sisattanak district, and will be open from 9am to 6pm Monday-Friday. Ms Tominaga said the centre has an agreement to run advanced courses for the next five years in cooperation with the Vientiane Education Department and Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA).

As part of the third phase of a JICA partnership project, the centre has drawn up a curriculum and compiled 20 textbooks for basic and international courses, aiming to produce trainers in the provinces and districts in line with the Ministry of  Education’s policy announced at the annual meeting of the Non-Formal Education Department in 2009.
“We have already produced 50 trainers since we started the JICA partnership in 2004,” Ms Tominaga said, adding that the ministry is now developing vocational training projects all around the country. The OJT courses consist of two months’ basic, three months’ intermediate and six  months’ advanced learning, available in the three fields of cooking, dressmaking and hairdressing. Graduates of the advanced course will be able to participate in the training of trainers. The aim of the courses is to pass on basic business skills and manners. After graduating, trainees can seek work or set up their own business. The training will help young people nationwide to earn income through skilled work. The OJT courses also aim to empower trainees to take charge and manage small businesses, whether they be restaurants, beauty salons, boutiques, or other ventures.

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