PHNOM PENH, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 World Vocational College Skills Competition for the Southeast Asian region concluded in Cambodia on Tuesday with an awards ceremony for the winning teams.
The three-day event drew a total of 92 highly skilled teams from across eight Southeast Asian countries to showcase their technical expertise and talents.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hang Chuon Naron congratulated the winning teams, praising their success as a reflection of their diligence, perseverance, and determination.
"This historic event serves not only as a platform to showcase the technical skills and innovative thinking of young people, but also as a powerful testimony to regional and international cooperation," Chuon Naron said during the ceremony at the Cambodia-China University of Technology and Science.
Chuon Naron said the selected six from nine gold award-winning teams from this regional round will now represent Southeast Asia at the finals of the 2026 World Vocational College Skills Competition in China.
Rith Darasak, an 18-year-old student from Cambodia's University of Economics and Finance and member of the winning team, said his team competed in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
"Our team took first place, winning a gold medal," he told Xinhua. "We are thrilled to participate in such an international competition. Solidarity brought us this victory."
Rattana Phariza, a 19-year-old student from the Cambodia-China University of Technology and Science and a member of another winning team, said this program is important for young people to better understand technological developments and offers a platform for Cambodian and international participants to showcase their capabilities. ■
