The paradox between growth figures and the “expert deficit.”
With the historic milestone of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country confidently enters a decisive development phase, aiming to become a high-income country by 2045, the centennial year of its foundation. In this new growth model, science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation play a crucial role as engines of progress. Professor Ho Si Quy, former director of the Information Institute of the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences, asserts that high-quality human resources, including digital human resources, are the primary drivers of this growth.
Analysis of labor market statistics reveals significant progress. By 2025, the country will have 52.4 million workers, with 29.2% qualified, representing a substantial increase from 2024. The information technology (IT) sector alone has attracted 1.26 million workers, significantly contributing to the $198 billion in revenue for the entire digital technology sector.
Behind these growth figures lies a concerning reality. Mr. Quy emphasized that despite Vietnam’s reputation for its workforce in information technology, particularly in the software sector where demand is increasing by 71.5%, the country faces a shortage of qualified and expert personnel. A paradox emerges in the labor market: the number of candidates compared to the number of job offers is very high (145% for web developers, 130% for artificial intelligence engineers), yet companies struggle to recruit enough personnel, even offering salaries 10 to 15% higher for positions like database engineers, solution architects, or operations designers.
In reality, most current digital workers are only at the entry level of the digital generation and do not yet fully master digital skills. It is estimated that by 2030, Vietnam will need about 3 million digital workers, but currently, only 30% of the 50,000 computer science graduates trained each year meet the rigorous market requirements. Professor Ho Si Quy highlighted that the current workforce presents both promising prospects and fundamental gaps, requiring special attention from workers, managers, and decision-makers.
“Solving the problem of disparities through the smart university model.”
One of the main reasons graduates struggle to meet practical requirements, as pointed out by Ms. Vu Thi Kieu Ly, a lecturer at the University of Transport Technology, is the gap between the pace of technological evolution. While technologies evolve rapidly in business (every one to two years), updating university training programs often lags behind by three to five years due to administrative obstacles and accreditation. This gap forces the workforce to constantly retrain, resulting in a waste of social resources.
To address this, the implementation of a “smart university” model is essential. According to Ms. Ly, the success of this model is the solution to the human resources quality issue, helping reduce development inequalities and create a national competitive advantage.
The first innovative solution lies in improving the legal framework and governance mechanisms. The state should quickly dictate specific regulations concerning governance and protection of big data in education, in line with non-traditional security standards. It should grant higher education institutions full autonomy to implement and lead training programs related to key technologies (such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and green logistics). For these study areas, the “pre-approval accreditation” mechanism, based on investment commitments and business sponsorship, should replace the current system, minimizing delays in supplying human resources to the labor market.
To become a smart university, educational institutions must implement intelligent learning management systems integrating AI, which fully address mass education challenges and aim to optimize individual potential.
“Clear incentive mechanisms to encourage cooperation in training.”
During this workshop, delegates also devoted time to discussing ways to promote multi-lateral cooperation models.
Dr. Tran Thi Tam from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Transport Technology indicated that many universities now promote a “five-actor cooperation model”: the state, university, businesses, local communities, and international partners, to access cutting-edge technologies. However, for this model to be truly effective, it is necessary to harmonize training programs from an interdisciplinary perspective, innovate teaching methods, and invest more in specialized teachers. A “semester in business” module should be integrated into training programs for various professions, especially those related to intelligent transport systems (ITS). The university should also invite technology companies to participate in program development, student evaluation, and post-graduation assessments.
Acknowledging the importance of promoting human resources training cooperation, Professor Vu Ngoc Khiem, Vice-Rector of the University of Transport Technology, raised the issue of the business role in this process. He argued that without clear incentive mechanisms, companies currently do not show real enthusiasm for partnerships with universities. International experience shows that hosting students for internships or training allows them to benefit from tax exemptions and reductions.
Recognizing the relevance and responsibility of the contributions made during the workshop, Pham Thi Thanh Huyen, editor-in-chief of the People’s Representatives Journal, declared that these contributions form the basis for future policy improvements.
Ms. Huyen agreed that in the digital age, competition among nations no longer focuses on resources or cheap labor but on human resources. Developing digital human resources cannot solely rely on the education sector. It is essential to implement a comprehensive national strategy encompassing institutions, policies, training models, talent valuation mechanisms, and, above all, a radical shift from current needs-based training to market-adapted and future-oriented training. “Investing in digital human resources is investing in a sustainable and prosperous future for the country,” she stated.
[NOTE: The content has been adapted from a source at https://daibieunhandan.vn/hoi-thao-khoa-hoc-cap-quoc-gia-voi-chu-de-dao-tao-va-cung-ung-nguon-nhan-luc-trong-ky-nguyen-moi-thuc-trang-va-giai-phap-can-chien-luoc-quoc-gia-tong-the-dao-tao-nhan-luc-so-10413167.html for this professional news article.]
