HCM CITY — New graduates and senior students at universities have opportunities to become world-class business leaders in a Management Trainee (MT) Programme from which many companies in Viet Nam recruit employees.

FrieslandCampina Việt Nam, which has been in Việt Nam since 1996, launched the programme which is now in the process of selecting graduates with a bachelor’s or MBA degree and less than two years experience for its two-year intensive training.

The deadline to apply for the programme is January 31. Students must have a grade point average higher than seven or equivalent, excellent interpersonal skills, a strong passion to learn and improve, and good English as well as team-work skills.

The programme aims to help talented individuals from the early days of their career and develop them into global business leaders.

The unique programme lasts for an intensive 24 months with practical training that involves real jobs and real assignments during job rotations.

It is also challenging because there will be rigorous assessment and feedback during the programme, as well as full support from mentors, coaches and peers.

Becoming a good manager at the end of the 24- month period is not an end in itself, but rather a start to a bright, meaningful career for someone who wants to make a difference and contribute to a better world.

The Phú Nhuận Jewelry Joint-Stock Company, for example, plans to recruit candidates from the programme who will work in HCM City, Hà Nội, Đà Nẵng, Cần Thơ and Đắk Lắk Province’s Buôn Ma Thuột.

On the careerbuilder.vn website, nine companies have announced they will hire candidates from the programme.

Phan Huy Thành, who was selected to attend FrieslandCampina Việt Nam’s Management Trainee programme last year, said the training offered him a challenge and that he continues to work for FrieslandCampina.

According to HR experts, such programmes give new graduates opportunities to have experiences that are helpful for their future jobs.

Speaking at a forum held at HCM City Open University last August, Nguyễn Thị Tố Uyên, HR director at Sài Gòn Thương Tín Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Sacombank), said that jobs are now more plentiful and that graduates should grasp the available opportunities in the market.

She said that students at universities should also identify the kind of work they want to do in the future.

Trần Anh Tuấn, deputy head of the Centre for Forecasting Manpower Needs and Labour Market Information, said that more students should focus on studying English because many graduates lack good English communication skills.

Students with good qualifications, English skills and soft skills are rarely unemployed, he said.  —VNS