Dubai Cares, in partnership with Shift360 Foundation, launched a program aimed at training Cambodian youth for high-skill occupations in the hospitality sector. In response to high school drop-out rates and the growing demand for skilled mid- and high-level professionals in Cambodia’s tourism industry, the program supported the Academy of Culinary Arts Cambodia (ACAC) in training a new generation of chefs.

The program enabled graduates to enter the workforce in mid-level positions across restaurants, hotels, and catering establishments immediately upon completion.

ACAC awarded graduates with a diploma certified under both ASEAN standards and the Swiss Hospitality Management School of Luzern. The program not only facilitated employment for its graduates in Cambodia but also opened doors for international placements, including in the UAE.
The program achieved three key outcomes: ACAC trained an increasing number of highly qualified kitchen professionals through a two-year certificate program; it strengthened the long-term sustainability of the Academy by fostering government and private sector commitment, culminating in the transfer of ACAC’s governance from Shift360 to the Cambodian Tourism Federation; and it supported the Cambodian Ministry of Education in introducing hospitality training in one pilot high school, laying the foundation for broader national adoption.