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Gia Lộc

HCM CITY — Many high schools in HCM City have begun to conduct tests to match their students’ aptitudes with future careers, take them to universities or bring university staff to talk them about careers.

Unlike in the past, many high schools are now paying close attention to career guidance and counselling to help their students identify their career paths.

Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh High School in Bình Tân District, for instance, carries out these programmes twice one year for their students.

“These programmes began at the school when I was in 10th grade,” a 12th grade girl student, who asked not to be named, said, adding they helped her find out that she would like to become a teacher.

Võ Thị Anh Thư, a 12th grade student at the Đào Sơn Tây High School in Thủ Đức District, said her school has invited staff from city universities to talk about students’ prospective careers.

“The guidance is very exciting and has helped me find out that jobs related to art are suitable for me.”

Võ Đình Thanh Tuấn of Phạm Văn Sáng High School in Hóc Môn District said: “I want to become a doctor, but there are many universities for me to choose from.”

So he often takes part in career counselling programmes in school and outside to understand how he should choose his university.

Trần Thanh Dũng of Trần Phú High School said his school has a lot of career guidance and counselling activities. For instance, the school took 12th graders to a Career Day held by Hoa Sen University at a stadium in District 1 on Saturday.

The event attracted more than 5,000 students and their parents and teachers from high schools around the city, and they directly met with staff and lecturers from Hoa Sen, Gia Định, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, and Hồng Bàng international universities.

The event had the theme Career Orientation in the 4.0 Era, and Dr Vũ Tường Thụy, vice rector of Hoa Sen University, said: “Students should raise the question of who they are and what they want to do for themselves.”

“They should be confident in their choice and try to study to master technologies in the Industry 4.0 era.”

Phan Văn Giang, a career counselling specialist at Hoa Sen University, said students should choose careers that suit their knowledge and skills, family’s financial condition and social demands.

“They also should study foreign languages, technologies and skills which could help them avoid unemployment after they graduate in the next four or five years when many jobs including their majors become obsolete in the Industry 4.0 era.”

Dr Trần Đức Cảnh, a member of the National Council for Education and Manpower Development, said career counselling is very important for students to help build an effective long-term career pathway.  VNS