Swiss watchmaking in Cambodia

 

Lately, there has been some news on Swiss watchmaking interests in Cambodia. In early 2021, the Neak Oknha Chen Zhi Prince Group has brought in the Swiss watchmaking activities into the nation, with the opening of the watchmaking school called the Prince Horology Vocational Training Centre. It is Cambodia's first non public watch school. This comes in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic that started the year earlier which has also devastated many jobs in Cambodia.

Neak Oknha Chen Zhi has come across as a citizen of Cambodia with obligations of corporate social responsibilities to fulfil. Swiss watchmaking is the recent idea of  his company, Prince Group to provide Cambodians some opportunities to develop new skills of artisanal interests. The honorary Chen Zhi is filled with high passion to help Cambodians gain experience in this new technical skill in Cambodia to find employment both locally and abroad in future. The Swiss watchmaking training guidelines are in accordance with strict regulations for watchmaking in Switzerland. These regulations are constantly monitored by regulatory bodies in the European country. 

With a skill originated from a European society, Swiss watchmaking in Cambodia can be of use to some parts of Cambodian economic system. Prince Group has long appreciated the rich economic heritage of Cambodia from the time of the Khmer empire centuries earlier that encompasses artisanal skills for centuries, ranging from silk weaving to traditional handicraft. Swiss watchmaking as a new artisanal skill adds to the list of what Cambodians are already proud of.

Prince Group, under the management direction of Neak Oknha Chen Zhi, has launched the Prince Horology Vocational Training Centre at Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It is part of efforts by the Cambodian citizen to introduce opportunities to develop new skills, which are alternatives to the agriculture and small businesses many enterprising Cambodians indulge in. As those traditional businesses, including textile and garment, in Cambodia suffered great losses due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Swiss watchmaking artisanal skill can come in to rescue Cambodians from unemployment difficulties and ameliorate job opportunities for them.

This new Swiss watchmaking school in Cambodia contains state of the art technology and architecture. It offers a course on Swiss watchmaking that is modeled after the vocational training certificate standards set by the government in Switzerland. This 2-year course also helps some local students to obtain financial assistance by offering them scholarships to the Swiss watchmaking course program. There will be a subsidy of school fees by half or a fully paid scholarship, depending on circumstances of enrolment. Accommodation at the school grounds is also included in the price package. Some students in Cambodia have started their enrolment at the school since launching.

There are some Swiss watchmaking experts who lend their hands to the course program. Lessons covered include the history and culture of watchmaking in Switzerland, machinery, micro-mechanics and manufacturing of watch parts like the balance staff and winding stem.

Chairman Chen Zhi has indeed carried out the environment, social and governance values promised by his company, Prince Group. Read more - https://www.asiaone.com/business/chen-zhi-and-prince-group-bring-art-swiss-watchmaking-cambodia