Upskilling metrology workforce through international collaboration

The Challenge

The National Metrology Center (NMC), Cambodia is a governmental agency, which holds the country’s mandates in legal, industrial and scientific metrology. The major challenge we face is in expanding our metrology workforce, to ensure that our technicians have the skills to address a range of practical issues in wider society. For example, the irregularity of household electricity meters is a key concern for both the Cambodian government and all citizens. And as new industries develop in the country, there’s a growing need for traceable dimensional and mechanical measurements. To meet these demands, and to ensure compliance with national and international standards, the NMC needs to develop and strengthen our measurement capabilities in these core areas.

Our Solution

To address these issues, the NMC participated in Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Project, a collaboration initiative between Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Under the framework of this project, NMC sent four technicians to attend the long-term joint research and personal training program at China’s National Institute of Metrology (NIM). There, they received training in the fields of electrical, dimensional and mechanical measurement. One was focused on electrical measurement, specifically around the issue of household meters. This training aimed to provide them with the skills and equipment needed to establish trust in Cambodia’s electricity infrastructure.

NMC also worked closely with NIM’s electricity experts to develop technical regulations on electricity meters. Three of the technicians were trained in a range of dimensional and mechanical measurement tools (e.g. autocollimator, interferometer, gauge blocks, pressure, mass and fluid flow) to address the needs of Cambodian industries, and to improve the quality and reliability of products. The overall goal of this training is to gain international recognition for NMC’s laboratories and standards work.

The Impact

As a result of this joint research and training activity, four NMC technicians are now highly-trained and skilled in their fields of study. In addition, we have created technical regulations for the verification of electricity meters. This has solved the irregularity issues that Cambodian citizens had struggled with, and provided a much better basis for any future developments of the electricity network. This work has also enabled NMC’s mechanical and dimensional departments to be accredited by ISO – they meet all of the requirements and competencies for testing and calibration laboratories. Our industrial customers can trust that our measurement services meet internationally-recognised standards.   

Quote

 “I learned so much, and feel more confident in my work. I’m proud to contribute to Cambodia’s metrology workforce. “

• SUY Vansis, NMC trainee, and vice chief of office, NMC.