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 centenary of its founding. 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 Institute of Information of the Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences, states that high-quality human resources, especially digital human resources, are the main driver of this growth.
The analysis of labor statistics reveals significant progress. By 2025, the country will have 52.4 million workers, with 29.2% being skilled, a significant increase compared to 2024. The information technology (IT) sector alone has attracted 1.26 million workers, contributing significantly to the $198 billion in revenue of the entire digital technology sector.
However, behind these growth figures lies a worrying reality. Mr. Quy emphasizes that, despite Vietnam’s reputation for its IT workforce, particularly in software where demand is increasing up to 71.5%, the country faces a shortage of qualified and expert personnel. A paradox unfolds in the labor market: the number of candidates compared to the number of job offers is very high (145% for web developers, 130% for AI engineers), but companies struggle to recruit enough personnel, even by 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 have not fully mastered 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 highlights that the current workforce presents promising prospects and fundamental gaps, requiring particular attention from workers, managers, and decision-makers.
Solving the disparities through the “smart university” model.
One of the main reasons why graduates struggle to meet practical requirements, as pointed out by Ms. Vu Thi Kieu Ly, lecturer at the University of Transport Technology, is the gap between the pace of technological advancement and the updating of university training programs. While technologies evolve rapidly in the industry (every one to two years), the update of university training programs often lags 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 resource quality problem, helping to reduce development inequalities and create a national competitive advantage.
The first innovative solution lies in the improvement of the legal framework and governance mechanisms. The state should quickly issue specific regulations related to governance and data protection in the educational environment, according to non-traditional security standards. It should grant higher education institutions full autonomy to establish and manage training programs related to key technologies (such as semiconductors, AI, and green logistics). For these fields of study, the “prior approval accreditation” mechanism, based on investment commitments and corporate sponsorship, should be replaced to minimize the delay in providing human resources to the labor market.
To become a smart university, educational institutions must implement intelligent learning management systems integrating AI, fully addressing the challenges of mass education and aiming to optimize individual potential.
Clear incentive mechanisms to promote training cooperation.
During this workshop, delegates also spent time discussing ways to promote multilateral cooperation models.
Dr. Tran Thi Tam, from the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Transport Technology, pointed out that many universities now promote a “five-actor cooperation model”: the state, the 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 the company” module should be integrated into training programs for various professions, especially those related to intelligent transport systems (ITS). The university should also invite tech companies to participate in program development, student evaluation, and post-graduate appreciation.
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 a basis for future policy improvements.
Huyen agreed that in the digital age, national competition no longer focuses on resources or cheap labor but on human resources. The development of digital human resources cannot rely solely on the education sector. It is essential to implement a comprehensive national strategy encompassing institutions, policies, training models, talent valuation mechanisms, and, most importantly, a radical shift from current needs-based training to market and future-oriented training. “Investing in digital human resources is investing in a sustainable and prosperous future for the country,” she said.
Source: [Vietnamese News Article Link]
