Skills that let women ride further

Cambodian Garment Training Institute (CGTI) and its WE Academy are Ride With Confidence’s first, and most generous, Platinum Partner. Their support connects confidence on the road with confidence at work, in an industry built by the skill of Cambodian women.

Our first Platinum Partner

Every campaign remembers the partner who said yes first. For Ride With Confidence, that partner is CGTI. As our first Platinum Partner, and the most generous to date, CGTI and its WE Academy have helped turn a women-led idea into Cambodia’s first international women’s motorcycle campaign.

The fit is a natural one. Together We Ride. Together We Rise. is about women gaining the confidence to move forward on their own terms. CGTI works toward the same goal every day in classrooms, training rooms and on factory floors, by helping people build the skills, knowledge and voice they need to lead their working lives.

Training that changes working lives

Founded in 2015 by the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC), now TAFTAC, CGTI is based in the Royal Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone. It was created by industry and education working together to close the skills gap in Cambodia’s garment, footwear and travel goods sector.

Its programs are developed in close consultation with employers and run from short, practical courses to Advanced Diplomas. They cover apparel merchandising, design and product development, industrial engineering, quality and production, occupational safety and health, and energy and environmental sustainability. More than 180 factories partner with CGTI through a special MOU, and its 2026 training plan for the Skills Development Fund targets 5,425 participants across 23 courses.

WE Academy: skills for women’s empowerment

WE Academy, powered by CGTI, is part of the WE Network, which works for women’s empowerment across Cambodia’s garment, footwear and travel goods sector. Within the network, WE Academy is where the skills come from: the place where women workers, and the people who lead them, learn, grow and step forward.

Women are at the heart of the industry’s workforce, and WE Academy’s programs are built around them:

• Pre-employment training that helps new workers start their careers with confidence.
• Upskilling and technical training that opens the way to better roles, from the sewing line to supervision.
• Soft skills such as communication, teamwork and problem-solving, so that women can speak up and lead.
• Compliance and sustainability skills, from occupational safety and health to human rights due diligence and greener ways of working.

WE Sunday is WE Academy’s time for women workers to learn, connect and grow on their day off. Sessions take place at CGTI, with no participation fee, and joining is voluntary, so women can come as they are and learn at their own pace. True to its motto, “Your time. Your learning. Your future.”, every session offers practical activities that are useful at work and in everyday life.

Women can take short courses, use computers and online learning resources, and meet trainers, experts and industry partners. Topics include digital skills, financial literacy, communication and confidence, health, well-being and workplace safety, gender-based violence awareness, and leadership and career development. More than a classroom, WE Academy is a friendly, supportive space where confidence grows.

“When a woman learns a new skill, she gains more than a job. She gains the confidence to lead, to speak up and to choose her own road. That is why CGTI and WE Academy are proud to ride with Ride With Confidence.”

Mr. Andrew Tey, Centre Director, CGTI

Opening doors for young people

CGTI’s Advanced Diploma scholarships are open to young people aged 18 to 25 who have completed Grade 12. Scholars receive accommodation and meals while they study, then twelve months of on-the-job training with a minimum monthly allowance of US$280 and regular mentoring. CGTI reports an average salary increase of 23 to 35 percent after the on-the-job year.

For many young women, a scholarship like this is the first step from the classroom to a skilled career, and the first time they see themselves as supervisors, merchandisers or managers.

Bags made to carry the message

CGTI is supporting the campaign with beautiful bags for riders, gala guests and volunteers. Each one will carry the spirit of the campaign, from the morning ride in Siem Reap to everyday journeys long after.

It is a fitting gift from an institute whose work is about making things well. A bag is something you carry every day, and with it, a reminder that women’s skills and confidence travel further together.

Why CGTI rides with us

Ride With Confidence celebrates women’s confidence, Cambodian heritage and safe, responsible tourism, while raising funds to support women’s centers in Siem Reap and Battambang. CGTI and WE Academy show what that confidence looks like at work: women who are trained, safe, informed and ready to lead.

Thank you, CGTI, for being the first to stand with us, and for helping us show what can happen when industry, training and community move in the same direction.

Ride with us

Join CGTI and our partners on 12–13 December 2026 in Siem Reap.