Skills Standards Formation on
Construction Sector: Experience of
Lao PDR
Presented by Mr. Phouvanh CHANTHAVONG
Director General
Department of Skills Development and Employment
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Lao PDR
25 May 2010
1
CONTENTS
I. Legal Instruments
II. Education and Vocational System in Laos
III. Skills Standard Development
1.
Targets of Skills Development
2.
Levels of Skills Standard Development
3.
Type of skills Standard Development
4.
Background
5.
About the Project
6.
Objectives of the Project
7.
Priority of Skill Trades for National Skills Standard
Formation in Construction Industry
IV. Procedure of Formation on Skill Standard in
Construction Industry in Lao PDR
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I. Legal Instruments

Referring to Decree on Skills Formation and Development No.036/PM
dated 22 January 2010 stipulated functions and responsibilities between
Ministry of Education and Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare as following:
Ministry of
Education
Article 19: Responsible
Organization of
Vocational and
Vocational
EducationTraining
(TVET)
Ministry of Labour
and Social Welfare
Article 36: Responsible
Organization of National
Skills Standard
Development and Skills
Testing Certification
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II. Education and Vocational System in Laos
University
1
Gind
Plimary
1 2 3 4 5
Lower Second
12
3 4
Upper Second
Higher Vocational
1
Entrance Examination
2 3
=Short term Vocational
1
Vocational Training
12 13
1
2
3
2
3
14
15 16
17
2
Higher Vocational
1
=Vocational Education
Sys
11
5
Higher Technician
1
=Entrance Exam
9 10
4
Intermidiate Technician
=Long Term Vocational
6 7 8
3
Higher Education
1
4 5 6
2
18
2
3
19 20
III. Skills Standard Development
1. Targets of Skills Development
Develop skills in accordance with socio-economic structure and
regional development for balancing labourforce between urban and
rural areas, and regional integration;
• Focus on making Lao workers acquiring knowledge, skills,
attitude by upgrading training an skills testing and certification to
whom basic vocational knowledge, working workers get higher
level skills and skills experienced on practice, and others
disadvantage persons;
• Develop skills in accordance with three types of skill standards
in order to develop Lao labor skills moving closer to ASEAN and
International skills standard;
•
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2. Levels of Skills Standard Development
• Level 1: Semi-Skilled Worker;
• Level 2: Skilled Worker;
• Level 3: Tradesman;
• Level 4: Supervisor;
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3. Types of Skills Standard Development
• National Skills Standard;
• Local/Labor Unit Skills Standard;
• Occupational Associations/Groups Skills
Standard;
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4.
•
•
•
•
•
Background
Lao construction industries sector is one important activity in the process of
socio-economic development in Lao PDR and it is in an urgent demand in
current market economy development involving regional integration under
rapidly changing information technology;
Increased competition among business also leads to an increased demand in a
skilled labourforce;
Domestic and foreign investment projects particularly those in infrastructure
development such as roads, hydropower and housing have been steadily increasing
every year;
Skills development of the employers in conducted very independently, so the
resulting trained work force find it not match with the regional skills development;
Trained skills are not sufficiently consistent with market need; there are no skills
standard specifications for each employment type making the Lao labour quality
unacceptable by employers. Therefore there are large wage gaps between Lao and
foreign workers.
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5. ABOUT the project
Project on Lao national skill standard in construction
industry sector is supported by ILO/Korea Partnership
Programme since 2009-2011
 Implementing agency: The Department of Skills
Development and Employment ( DSDE), The
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Lao PDR

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6. Objectives of the Project
Development objective: The project will contribute to
the development of the Lao national skill standards
and skill certification and testing system which will be
institutionalized;
 Immediate objective: By the end of the project a skill
standards and testing and certification system for the
construction sector will have been developed.

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7.
Priority of Skill Trades for National Skills
Standard Formation in Construction Industry

With Cooperation of ILO that organized the workshop on National Skills
Standard, which was held on December 2007 in Vangvieng district ,
Vientiane province. The construction industry was selected and defined as
priority to be developed as skills standard for 10 skill trades as following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Reinforced concrete
Plastering and Brick laying
Cast Plaster and Faced Cornice
Plumbing
Welding
Electric installation
Wood furniture
Floor and wall tiling
Aluminum
Painting
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V. Procedure of Formation on Skill Standard
in Construction Industry in Lao PDR
Appointed
construction
skill standard
committee by
Labour
Minister
Sent four
members of
the committee
to be trained
in Korea
Draft format of
reinforced
concrete
finalized in
both Lao and
English version
Reported the
output to
Labour
Minister
Meeting of
approval
format by
stakeholders
Conduct pilot
testing
module in
three skill
standard
Set up
technical
taskforce for
working with
Korean
experts
Summary
meeting with
construction
skill standard
Feedback of
pilot testing by
stakeholders
Interviewed
stakeholders
for collecting
information
Developed the
reinforced
concrete skill
standard (steel
bar, concrete &
form work)
Validate the
skill standard
Analyzed and
reported the
output of data
collection
Consultative
meeting with
construction
skill standard
committee
Enforcement
of reinforced
concrete and
finalised 10
priorities skills
standard
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Thank you for your attention
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