Minister of Public Works Sun Chanthol said yesterday that Cambodia’s economic growth is driving the need for human resources with the skills necessary to build infrastructure. “To reply to the ongoing economic growth, we need the skilled human resources to serve the transport and logistics sectors,” Chanthol said at an orientation ceremony for the first batch of students taking up technical-related courses at the Techo Sen Institute of Public Works and Transport. “For the nation to grow, we need roads, electricity, water and human resources. To have enough human resources to contribute to the building of transportation infrastructure in Cambodia, we have to train the next generation,” said Chanthol. The institute opened on January 22 and is calling on more high school graduates to apply for admission as the deadline for applications is February 28. “The institute will play an important role to create human resources in the transport and logistic sectors. Other countries, including our neighbours, have this type of centre to upgrade these sectors,” said Vasim Sorya, the ministry’s spokesman. The institute opened at a crucial time as Cambodia is building and expanding infrastructure such as roads, bridges, expressways, railways, ship navigation and transport engineering. The government spent more than $11,376 billion between 1993 and June 2020 to finance public investment projects to support long-term sustainable economic growth and increase economic productivity and production. According to a report issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, in the first six months of 2020, the government signed concessional loan agreements with development partners totalling $479 million. Of the loans, 93 percent – $443 million – were slated for infrastructure, including roads, bridges, railways, ports, airports, irrigation systems, electricity, water supply and wastewater treatment plants. The rest went toward other priorities.