Students learn about vocational training and employment opportunities abroad at the event. — VNS Photo Nhật Hồng

THÁI NGUYÊN — Vocational training is seen as a key component of improving quality of staff, boosting economic growth and competitiveness, said Director of Thái Nguyên Province's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Hương.

Speaking at a conference on expanding international cooperation in vocational education and accessing overseas employment opportunities for the province’s workforce on Saturday, Hương noted that Thái Nguyên is among the top three major education and training centres in the country, placing only behind Hà Nội and HCM City.

In 2023, the province has provided vocational training to more than 40,000 workers at various levels of college, intermediate and continuing education.

Thái Nguyên also counts more than 20,000 workers employed and over 2,500 others sent to work abroad.

Hương said “We hope that through this conference, we can connect with labour agencies to understand better the workforce demands of foreign markets, such as Bulgaria, Germany, Finland, Poland, South Korea and Japan.

“When we identify those needs, we can adjust and develop appropriate educational plans and programmes so that Thái Nguyên workforce, after receiving their vocational training, can respond to the demands of the markets.”

According to Director of the Trade Promotion and Enterprise Support Centre (TPESC) Hà Ngọc Tuấn, Thái Nguyên is a province of great potential with a large population, multiple foreign-invested industrial parks, a young workforce and an established vocational training system.

“There is a global crisis of human resources due to ageing populations and a shortage of workers in factories,” said Tuấn.

“In this context, students can have an advantage if they opt for vocational training or working abroad.”

Gathering different vocational training institutions, organisations and businesses, the conference was also an occasion for students to get updates on employment markets and their career opportunities.

Ngọc Thị Hồng Liên, a second-year student from Thái Nguyên Medical College, said: “I’m better informed to prepare my plans for studying and working abroad by attending this event.”

In the past year, Thái Nguyên Province saw its labour exports increase 2.5 folds, which is a positive sign, according to Mai Thanh Tùng, chairman of Thái Việt International Cooperation Co Ltd.

According to Trần Văn Sơn, chairman of Global Trading Cooperation Co Ltd, a company specialised in sending Vietnamese students to Germany for vocational training, German companies are in need of high-quality skilled labour.

Thái Nguyên Province, which has 37 vocational institutions offering training in various sectors such as engineering, business, medicine and pharmacy, can provide the foundation for students to continue higher education in Germany.

This will allow them a chance to live in Germany or return and contribute to their homeland of Thái Nguyên after finishing their programme, he said.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Đặng Béla, Việt Nam chief representative of the Hungary-based employment placement agency Getwork, believed that knowledge and skills are not an issue for Vietnamese people as they are hardworking and eager to learn.

“What we should focus on is the assistance from the State and supporting agencies, as students can be at a disadvantage due to the lack of information, such as on the host country’s laws and culture,” he said, adding that this shortcoming may lead to students needing a longer time for integration.

At the conference, a MoU was signed among TPESC, Thái Việt International Cooperation Co Ltd. and Global Trading Cooperation Co Ltd. Photo courtesy of Global Trading Cooperation Co Ltd.

At the conference, memoranda of understanding on international cooperation in expanding the foreign employment opportunities for the province’s workforce were signed between Thái Nguyên Employment Service Centre and TPESC; among TPESC, Thái Việt International Cooperation Co Ltd. and Getwork; and among TPESC, Thái Việt International Cooperation Co Ltd. and Global Trading Cooperation Co Ltd. — VNS