Homegrown aviation school WCC Aeronautical and Technological College is set to bring its expertise to aspiring Cambodian pilots after securing a deal to operate in Phnom Penh, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Trade Secretary Cristina Roque’s official visit to Cambodia last week.

WCC sealed a memorandum of understanding with Cambodia’s Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation (OCIC) to establish the WCC AeroTech University in the capital — exporting Filipino educational expertise to meet the region’s growing demand for aviation professionals.

The DTI said the new campus will offer degree programs in aircraft maintenance technology, avionics, airline operations management, aeronautical engineering, and a flight attendant certificate program.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the partnership reinforces the country’s role as a provider of knowledge-based services, aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s goal of advancing Filipino talent globally.

“When our schools and professionals bring their knowledge to international markets, they raise the profile of the Philippines as a hub for skills and innovation. This means more demand for Filipino educators, engineers, and service providers — not only boosting jobs but also inspiring pride in our people’s capabilities,” she said.

For his part, WCC President Raymond Patrick Guico called the agreement a milestone for Philippine higher education. He said the institution would leverage its experience training thousands of professionals in the Philippines to extend the same “world-class” aviation education to Cambodia — echoing DTI’s emphasis on Filipino leadership in key service sectors.

Meanwhile, OCIC Vice President Thierry Tea said the deal is in line with Cambodia’s vision to build human capital.

“Working with WCC allows us to open doors for Cambodian youth to access top-quality aviation training while connecting with Filipino professionals who have a proven track record in the industry," Tea said.

The partnership reflects the Marcos administration’s strategy to leverage the Filipino workforce to drive growth beyond borders, secure transformative investments, and promote local competence internationally.