The afternoon sun was still baking Phnom Penh, but things were lively enough over at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia. The Korea International Cooperation Agency, teaming up with a few local alumni groups, had pulled a crowd of young people together for a seminar all about how new tech ties into the lives of up-and-coming engineers.
Up on stage, speakers ran through cutting-edge tech and innovation while local engineering students filled the hall. According to local media, the whole point of the meetup was to give these tech-minded kids a fresh perspective and a look at what the rest of the world is up to.
As the crowd cleared out, a wave of hot air mixed with motorcycle exhaust hit the pavement, and students headed off in twos and threes on their motos. Over at the sidewalk tea stall, fresh iced coffee was just being brewed—whether these kids will actually get to put those new tech ideas to work will depend on whether real skills can take root right here in the streets of Phnom Penh.
