HCM CITY — Experts at a forum held on Tuesday in HCM City urged the adoption of a more effective vocational education model that will deliver advanced job skills and be responsive to the needs of the labour market.

Huỳnh Thành Đạt, president of Việt Nam National University, HCM City, said: “Changes in education policies will involve a transition period that leaders will need to manage.”  

Đạt spoke at the forum which discussed strengthening Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions’ linkages with industry.

“It takes time to understand the larger picture of educational and economic change in Việt Nam and around the world and to develop strategies to manage the transition to an effective model,” he said.

Vocational school reform is part of Việt Nam’s current “fundamental and comprehensive reform” policy in the education and training sector.

“The university considers training of high-quality human resources to meet economic development needs as an important part of its mission,” Đạt said, adding that the country’s colleges and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions play a decisive role.

Employment project

The annual forum is held as a part of Việt Nam Skills for Employment Project (VSEP), a project funded by Canada to help Việt Nam enhance TVET institutions.

Speaking at the meeting, Michael Emblem, director of VSEP, said the forum engages Vietnamese leaders and policymakers in dialogue on topics of key importance in TVET in the country.

It also shares the results of VSEP’s mid-term review and its alignment with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs’strategies, he said.

Implemented from 2014 to 2020, the project has two components: to improve the management of vocational training institutions in Việt Nam, and to develop appropriate and quality vocational training for women, youth, ethnic minorities and people in rural areas.

“The economy is developing rapidly, so the vocational training system needs to be improved to meet the demand of the labour market,” he said. “We need to work harder so that vocational training institutions are able to meet the needs of Vietnamese youth.”  

“We also need to focus on the linkages between training institutions and enterprises to meet labour market demands,” he said.

The project’s goal is to assist Việt Nam to strengthen the TVET system based on the Canadian model. The aim is to help young people access education and training and find high-value jobs in the growing economy.

The forum also included presentations from Canadian experts from Niagara College, including vice president Sean Kennedy and industry engagement specialist Jon Ogryzlo. — VNS