Thousands of Students Attend Career Forum Attracts

More than 5,000 high school students gathered to learn about their future career options at the NGO Pour un Sourire d’Enfant on Monday and Tuesday. Hands-on displays, live demonstrations and a buzzing atmosphere were meant to en­sure the teenagers left the event brimming with ideas about what to do after leaving school.

To show the full diversity of jobs available in Cambodia, Job Forum 2003 organizers brought in a broad range of companies to show off the work they do, from me­chanics to luxury spas, technology specialists to tour companies.

Chan Srey Mao, 15, studies at PSE high school. On Tuesday she leaned across a mock airport check-in desk to ask Cambodia Air­port Management Services staff more about their jobs. “I want to understand how the system works in an airport,” she said.

Nearby, Samraing Phanharasith examined diagrams of knives and bullets beside an airport security X-ray machine.

“I am very interested in security checks,” said the 17-year-old Tuol Tumpong high school student. “I want to understand how people hide weapons, knives and dangerous things, because I want to protect people and make them safe.”

“I never knew about this job, but the man from [CAMS] told me all about it,” Samraing Phanharasith said. “When I finish school, I will think about this kind of job.”

Upstairs at the hairdressing stall, 16-year-old Huy Sophany of PSE high school watched stylists demonstrate the latest hair-styl­ing techniques.

“Actually, I am not interested in hairdressing or makeup,” she said. “I want to be an administrator. Through the explanations of the expert here, I feel this is a great job for me in the future.”

Outside, 18-year-old Khin Veasna, of Tuol Tumpong high school, peered under the open hood of a car. “I am very interested in mechanics,” he said. “I am good at mathematics and science in school, so I think mechanics is the right job for me. The expert here told me where I can study and how long it would take to become a professional.”

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