Twelve outstanding lecturers, managers, and educational staff at vocational schools and relevant units in HCM City received certificates of merit from the municipal People's Committee at a ceremony held on December 2. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Diệp

HCM CITY — The HCM City People's Committee on Friday (December 2) presented certificates of merit to 12 outstanding individuals who won the first Trần Đại Nghĩa Award for their contributions to the city’s development in the field of vocational education and training.

The award, named after late major-general and academic Trần Đại Nghĩa (1913-1997), is be given every two years.

This year, the awardees were chosen from lecturers, managers, and educational staff at vocational schools, colleges and management units in the city.

The selection was based on many main criteria such as at least 15 years of work experience, and outstanding achievements for five or more consecutive years.

One of the awardees, Lê Thanh Phong, head of the Refrigeration Department of Thủ Đức College of Economy and Technology, said as a teacher, you must actively learn new knowledge and experiences from colleagues, improve professional knowledge, and apply advanced technologies in teaching.

“That will help improve your teaching capacity and allow you to provide the best things for your students,” he said.

Attending the award ceremony, the municipal People’s Committee Deputy Chairman Dương Anh Đức said the city authorities always pay great attention to vocational education and training which plays an important role in the city’s economic development.

Vocational education directly provides human resources for production, business and service activities in the city.

The development of vocational education needs the contribution of all lecturers, managers and educational staff, he said.

“This award encourages the awardees to continuously learn the creative spirit of the late Trần Đại Nghĩa for improving their knowledge and skills, and the quality of teaching,” he said.

The city’s vocational education system now has 371 educational institutions, providing nearly 123,000 trained labourers annually.

“This labour workforce has the capacity and ability to adapt to real workplace conditions and meet new requirements in the country's international economic integration process,” he said.

The quality of vocational training must meet the needs of learners and employers. More than 80 per cent of students from vocational schools can find a job after graduation. — VNS