A project for developing human resources in the wood processing industry has achieved success, helping to improve the quality of wood products and provide new marketing tools for Laos.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce’s Industry and Handicrafts Department and the Okawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday organised a final workshop to summarise the project, which ran over a period of two years.
The cooperation project was funded by Okawa City in Japan through the Okawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry at a cost of US$600,000.
The project began in 2015 and will end next year, aiming to develop human resources in the wood processing industry.
Human resource development was important in all areas of work as it was key to development, and especially this project, officials noted, which was enabling the efficient use of raw materials and improved production standards. The government considers human resource development as an important issue especially in the wood processing industry and forest management.
It is in line with Prime Ministerial Order No. 15, which aims to ensure the effective management and use of timber through the processing and adding of value to products before their export.
The project has provided wood processing training on eight occasions and furniture processing training on seven occasions.
Those to undergo the training included Lao carpenters and teachers from different furniture manufacturers, sawmills and vocational schools, under the supervision of Japanese carpenters, according to the press release.
The project also held wood and furniture processing training in Japan, especially in Okawa City, and selected two carpenters to participate in the ASEAN labour contest in Malaysia.
The course helped improve participants’ skills and increased their labour knowledge in the wood and furniture processing industry to add more value to the projects produced.
Participants also increased their understanding about how to maintain and use wood machines, wood and furniture processing techniques, colour painting, transportation and exhibitions.
Despite the project period being short, it still helped develop Lao skills in the furniture and wood processing industry according to Industry and Handicrafts Department Director General, Mr Manohak Rasachack .
The workshop was co-chaired by the Director of the Okawa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Yuichiro Tsumura.
Source: Vientiane Times
