Highly Skilled Worker Training: Change from Thinking to Action

Speaking to the reporter of Vietnam Business Forum Magazine on highly skilled worker training for local socioeconomic development, Mr. Pham Ngoc Luyen, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vinh Phuc province, said that this work has been making a strong shift from thinking to the action. Hoang Tham reports.

Vinh Phuc province reportedly pays special attention to training highly skilled workers by issuing and adopting many specific directives and resolutions. Could you please tell us some important resolutions that have made transformational changes in local vocational training?

Vinh Phuc has issued many guidelines and policies for vocational training and job creation. Specifically, the Provincial Party Committee adopted Resolution 06 on human resource development which emphasizes preschool and universal education as the foundation, regards vocational training as a breakthrough, and raises the quality of public servants by further training as a decisive stage. From 2007 to 2011, the Provincial People’s Council issued three resolutions on poverty reduction and job creation: namely, Resolution 16/2007/NQ-HDND on poverty reduction and job creation in 2007-2010; Resolution 34/2008/NQ-HDND on support policies for poor households, extremely poor villages and communes in poor areas in 2009-2010, and Resolution 37/2011/NQ-HDND on support policies on vocational training, job creation and poverty reduction in 2012-2015.

Especially, on June 15, 2016, Vinh Phuc Provincial Party Committee issued Plan 20-KH/TU on implementation of Directive 37-CT-TW, dated June 6, 2014 of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee on strengthening Party leadership in training of highly skilled human resources. On May 11, 2016, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs promulgated Document 715 SLDTBXH on advising the implementation of Directive 37-CT/TW of the Secretariat of the Party Committee; the Provincial People’s Council also issued a number of resolutions and amendments such as Resolution 207/2015/NQ-HDND on support policies on vocational education and job creation in 2016 - 2020; Resolution 42/2018/NQ-HDND on amending and supplementing some articles of Resolution 207/2015/NQ-HDND dated December 22, 2015 on support policies on vocational education and employment generation  in the province in 2016 - 2020; and Resolution 57/2016/NQ-HDND on specific measures to attract investment fund and support business development in Vinh Phuc province. At the same time, the Provincial People’s Committee launched Project 10451/DA-UBND dated December 28, 2018 on worker training for local socioeconomic development in 2019-2020 and to 2025.

It can be said that, with a series of directives and resolutions being drastically enforced, the training of highly skilled human resources in Vinh Phuc province has been a transformational change from view to action.

How has vocational education network changed, especially company demand-based training?

Vinh Phuc province advocates streamlining a vocational training network; developing multidisciplinary and multilevel training establishments; improving training quality to meet employee needs in both quantity and quality.

The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has reviewed and arranged the vocational education network and submitted plans to merge or dissolve ineffective facilities to the Provincial People’s Committee. After five years, 14 poorly operated vocational training institutions were shut. Specifically, in 2014, the province had 53 vocational training institutions but it now has 39 units, including seven colleges, five intermediate schools, 21 vocational education centers and six other vocational education facilities. In the coming time, the Provincial People’s Committee will continue to review and formulate vocational education network planning to reduce facilities and improve vocational training quality.

The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs instructs vocational training institutions to strengthen cooperation with enterprises in vocational training. Typical cooperation deals include the cooperation between Vinh Phuc Vocational College and Vietnam Precision Industry Company 1 (VPIC1); Showa Automobile and Motorbike Parts Co., Ltd; Canon Vietnam Co., Ltd; Exedy Vietnam Co., Ltd; and COSMOS; between Vinh Phuc Economic and Technical College with Honda Vietnam, Piaggio Vietnam, VPIC I, FLC Vinh Thinh Resort, Nissin Brake Manufacturing Vietnam; between Vocational College No. 2 with Lilama Company, Daiu Bus Company, Vietnam Standards Company, MECO Vietnam Joint Stock Company; between Viet Xo Vocational College No. 1 with Fecon Company, Honda Company and VIMECO Joint Stock Company.

It can be affirmed that training cooperation programs between vocational education institutions and enterprises are highly effective, positively affect the formation of knowledge, skills and career attitudes of students.

To ensure competitiveness and deal with unemployment threats to workers aged above 35, what solutions have you taken?

To enhance worker competitiveness and deal with unemployment risks faced by workers aged above 35, we are determined to carry out the following important and necessary things:

Firstly, coordinating with local and external companies to develop quality training programs that closely base on skills introduced by administering ministries. As one of key vocational training facilities in the province, Vinh Phuc Vocational Training College has worked closely with nearly 40 companies in labor training and supply. The college has consulted some businesses to compile curricula and develop vocational training plans; mobilize many companies such as Toyota Vietnam, Honda Vietnam and VPIC1 to invest in automobiles, equipment, machinery and parts for practice workshops; send students to practice their skills; and introduce jobs to students right after graduation.

Secondly, improving skills for teachers. International cooperation in building world-standard vocational training programs for learners' competencies is one of new promising directions that many vocational training institutions are currently carrying out. Some schools such as Vinh Phuc College of Economics and Technology, University of Transport Technology and Vinh Phuc Vocational Training College sent officers and teachers to learn career skills, study experience, join international conferences and seminars in countries with advanced science and technology such as the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Germany and South Korea to study and improve their professional qualifications.

Thirdly, paying attention to investing in training equipment for provincial-level vocational education institutions. Specifically, the Provincial People’s Committee agreed and allowed Vinh Phuc Vocational Training College to pilot international standard training for 19 students of industrial electronics; permitted Vinh Phuc Vocational Training College to establish a JICA Project on “Strengthening vocational education sector in Vietnam”. Currently, the project is being completed and submitted to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. Vinh Phuc Vocational Training College was granted the Project on “Upgrading vocational training equipment for Vinh Phuc Vocational Training College towards smart vocational school”. Agricultural Engineering College No. 1 affiliated with educational institutions of French and Australian governments to organize training for students of welding, metal cutting, automotive industry, industrial electricity and industrial electronics. The cooperation enables schools to invest in modern equipment and teachers to exchange and learn experience from foreign teachers to provide better vocational training service of European skill standards.

In fact, when vocational schools apply these trends the labor market will produce skilled workers ready to meet the increasing requirements of enterprises in the international integration era.

Thank you very much!