Practicing on modern equipment at the Faculty of Automotive Technology, Việt Nam - Korea College of Technology. — VNS Photo

BẮC GIANG — Bắc Giang Province is committed to improving vocational training quality to meet the human resources needs of production businesses operating in the locality.

According to Lê Ánh Dương, chairman of Bắc Giang Provincial People's Committee, the province develops human resources based on the needs of the labour market and focuses on improving the quality of the labour pool for industrial production, high-tech agriculture, tourism and services. 

Bắc Giang targets increasing the rate of trained workers to 80 per cent by 2025. The province has 50 vocational education and training facilities, including at least four colleges. The annual enrolment at vocational education and training facilities in the province reaches over 31,000 students.

The rate of trained workers with diplomas and certificates has reached 32 per cent, exceeding the target.

Of which, Việt Nam - Korea Industrial Vocational College and Bắc Giang Industrial Technical College are high quality schools, supplying trained students for many industries.

Bắc Giang also focuses on improving the effectiveness of state management of vocational education, linking vocational education with the labour and job markets; and developing policies on vocational education.

In addition, it standardises conditions to ensure quality in vocational education in accordance with national vocational skills standards; and promotes socialisation for vocational education.

Dương said in order to improve the quality of human resources to meet the requirements of businesses, Bắc Giang will strengthen coordination between all administration levels and sectors and businesses in vocational training activities and encourage businesses to invest in building schools and vocational training centres for industrial parks and clusters.

The province is also interested in promoting the development of human resources for the science and technology sector and developing the innovation and startup movement.

From 2021 to the end of June 2023, the vocational education facilities in the province have trained about 72,700 workers, or 84.4 per cent of the plan for the 2021-23 period. 

By the end of 2023, about 86,800 students are likely to be enrolled, slightly higher than the figure in the plan for the 2021-23 period.

A number of vocational education facilities in Bắc Giang, such as Việt Nam - Korea College of Technology, College of Industrial Technology, and Bắc Giang Mountain College, have actively promoted cooperation with businesses in developing career training programmes, such as high-quality training and re-training programmes; training courses for workers according to demand of businesses; and internships at enterprises.

As a result, 85 per cent of students have jobs after graduating from vocational education facilities, and 92-95 per cent of them work at suitable positions and meet the requirements of the businesses.

Production of garments for export to South Korea at Bắc Giang LGG Garment Corporation. —VNS Photo

For example, there is a training cooperation model based on business needs between the College of Industrial Technology with Bắc Giang-based Newing Interconnect Technology Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Foxcom Group in Việt Nam, to provide vocational training courses based on position and employment at the business. 

Each year, the company financially supports about 300 students with estimated tuition fees worth VNĐ1.7 billion (US$708,500). A student will spend half their hours studying at school and the rest in practice at the company. After the training course, the students have the opportunity to work at the company.

Another training cooperation model is implemented at the Vietnam-Korea College of Technology in Bắc Giang. This college has signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement with Korean Hana Micron Vina Company to provide opportunities to study at the college and work at the company at the same time.

In addition, the vocational education facilities have also cooperated with businesses in participating in scientific research projects and applying new technology to vocational education activities to improve training quality.

Trần Thị Quỳnh Oanh, head of the Department of Electrical and Automation, Bắc Giang College of Industrial Techniques, said: "Those programmes have brought benefits for all three parties: college, student and company. The businesses can get qualified students without having to retrain. Meanwhile, teachers and students also have been updated on new technology that the businesses regularly change."

Recently, Bắc Giang province has introduced policies to attract overseas Vietnamese, especially Bắc Giang people, to come back to support the socio-economic development of this province and Việt Nam. 

The province needs cooperation and investment in vocational training, and the transfer of global advanced technology and techniques. — VNS