July 15, 2021: World Youth Skills Day celebrates the importance of equipping young people around the world with technical training for employment and innovation. At Harpswell, we know it is critical to focus on giving girls the opportunity to learn and practice in technical fields. This World Youth Skills Day, we checked in with Kem Tha, a member of the Harpswell class of 2021 and a bioengineering major with big plans for her education. 

Kem Tha, 22, was born in Takeo, a rural province in the south of Cambodia. As a high schooler, she was inspired by a teacher who spoke of a recent graduate studying bioengineering. The idea of working to become a technician who could produce safe, high quality foods and goods for her community sparked her interest and motivated her studies. As a result of her efforts, Tha was accepted to the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) as a bioengineering student and was admitted to Harpswell as a member of the class of 2021.

During her four years at RUPP, Tha has had the chance to explore her passion and build her skillset.

“Being a bioengineering student, I have had the opportunity to study food technology, microbiology, bioprocessing, quality control and quality assurance. Our laboratory experiments also give me experience in creating new products in the food or cosmetics industries, which is my dream.” 

As she explored in the classroom, Tha was also able to take advantage of her time at Harpswell. “Being a Bio-Engineering student, I need a strong understanding of English to access research articles, review papers, books and even videos of experiments.” Through Harpswell’s critical thinking classes, discussion with leadership residents and core curriculum, Tha was able to not only improve her English language skills but grow in “critical thinking, research, teamwork, slide design and preparation, and confidence.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed particular challenges for bioengineering students. For Tha, the transition to online classes has taken away the hands-on, technical training critical for learning in the sciences. At the same time, Tha’s education in microbiology helped her come to a deeper understanding of both the COVID-19 virus and vaccine, knowledge she has been able to share with her peers and community. She has been particularly inspired by the work of global bioengineers to address areas of critical need, including the production and delivery of personal protective equipment and ventilators as well as the creation of a viable vaccine. 

With graduation on the horizon, Tha is considering how she will use her skills for the good of her community and Cambodia.  “If I can run my own business... it will provide more jobs in my community and contribute to improving the industry sector in Cambodia, reducing our dependency on imports. I also hope that my story will motivate students in rural areas like my province to value education.”