In the afternoon of 24^th June, 2016, in Hanoi, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) organized the Workshop “Synchronous solutions to improve vocational training quality to meet requirements of labor market and international integration”, with participation of national and international educational experts, managers at central and local levels, vocational training institutes (VTIs).

Mr. Dao Ngoc Dung – Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Minister of MOLISA, who presided over and delivered opening speech at the Workshop stated that: the advantage of labor quantity, age and price of Vietnam is more and more decreased, because it is labor quality that is determinant, contributes to improved national competitiveness and added value for the economy. Accordingly, it requires us to promptly improve vocational training quality rather than vocational training scale. With requirements of industrialization, modernization, and implementation of the Resolution no. 29-NQ-TW of the 8^th Congress of the 11^th Party Central Committee regarding radical, comprehensive reform of education and training, Resolution of the 12^th Party’s Congress identified one among focal tasks in next five years is to reform radically, comprehensively training, improve quality of workforce to meet labor market requirements, in attachment with socio-economic, scientific, technological development requirements. Through this Workshop, MOLISA would like to listen to opinions of participants with regards to strengths, weaknesses of vocational training, share experiences and find out solutions for vocational training quality development and improvement to meet requirements of domestic and international labor markets.

Presenting the introductory report at the Workshop, Dr. Nguyen Hong Minh, Director of General Department of Vocational Training stated clearly that: within 18 years since MOLISA has been assigned for state management of vocational training, vocational training work has been restored and made firm development steps, which gradually meets workforce demand of the economic development towards industrialization, modernization, integration and makes important contribution to the country’s social security. From the starting point without legal system on vocational training, up to now, it has been institutionalized into guideline, policy of the Party on vocational training development; legal corridor has been established, which facilitates reform and development of vocational training. Scale, structure of occupations and the network of VTIs is expanded to meet better and better the workforce requirement of labor market and vocational training demand of people, especially in remote, mountainous, socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Conditions for high vocational training quality are more and more improved, which makes important contribution to vocational training quality improvement. Linkage between VTIs and enterprises has significant change compared with the past. VTIs deliver vocational training at the request of enterprises through vocational training contracts signed with enterprises and consistency from learner enrollment, contents, objectives, curricula, to vocational training model, reception of interns and recruitment after graduation… Vocational training quality, efficiency has made positive change, meets higher and higher requirements on qualified workforce for industrial parks, economic zones, and enterprises, accordingly contributes to improved competitiveness of the economy. The survey of NIVT for enterprises shows that 80% - 85% of trained workers have proper jobs in line with their qualifications, of which 30% of graduates have occupational skills at good level or higher. Vocational training not only ensures technical workforce for the economy but also contributes to job creation, higher income for people, especially the disadvantaged group including women, rural labor, ethnic minority people, poor people; people in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, which accordingly contributes to labor structure change in rural areas and realization of the fair policy for vocational training. The introductory report also pointed out limits, shortcomings which need to be addressed in order to improve vocational training quality and efficiency. Specifically: Classification of learners for  vocational training is not paid with due attention; Vocational training quality fails to meet well labor market demand in terms of occupational skills, soft skills; structure of occupations for vocational training is not rational; Conditions for high vocational training quality are limited; vocational teachers have limited occupational skills; curricula are not updated, supplemented in line with scientific, technological progresses; linkage of enterprises and VTIs is loose; Resources spent on vocational training are limited, not in line with the scaled-up network of VTIs; it fails to mobilize social resources for vocational training development; TVET Law takes effect from 01/07/2015 but has no implementation guidance document for intermediate, collegial levels, hence obstacles related to the vocational training system are not addressed adequately.

             Speaking at the Workshop, Assoc. Prof. Dr Tran Thi Tam Dan stated clearly that: Education quality depends on reformed contents, objectives, curricula, teaching method, quality and quantity of teachers, level of modernization of vocational training equipment; Management, administration work of VTIs. The school has the autonomy for development of training curricula in line with enterprises’ requirements, foreign curricula suitable to Vietnam. Development of curricula should ensure three factors namely objectives, contents, learning outcomes. Learning outcomes of curricula should be identified on the basis of developing moral quality and occupational competencies of learners. Teaching method should be aimed at developing competencies, facilitating learners to develop thinking, dynamics, activeness. Accordingly, it requires a process in which teachers should not only transfer knowledge but also teach learners with learning methods, learners should search, master knowledge and thus know how to develop competencies for themselves. It should make sure that skilled labor is trained in the school.

          Speaking at the Workshop, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang, the former Minister of MOLISA stated that vocational training should focus on developing human resources, linking vocational training, human resources with employment, social security and social justice and progress. Vocational training quality is the output accepted by labor market and enterprises. Moreover, vocational training should be linked with industrial, agricultural, rural sectors and labor export. The schools should work closely with industrial parks. This requires managers, trainers to renovate their way of thinking, approach in line with development practice. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hang also highlighted that interconnection in vocational training is not an objective, but a policy, solution which enables all people to further learn to higher levels, or in other words, lifelong learning.

           At the Workshop, educational experts from Australia, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Germany, etc presented their experiences in vocational training development, the way to elaborate vocational training programs in line with the practice, requirements of labor market. They also introduced and readily transferred advanced programs suitable to vocational training in Vietnam, contributing to training of Vietnamese workforce. Opinions delivered at the Workshop focused on the need to reform vocational training, realize the autonomy policy for schools. 

           Concluding the Workshop, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung highly appreciated opinions of participants with regards to vocational training development, as well as solutions delivered to improve workforce quality. He affirmed that vocational training should be linked with labor market, information of labor market, on which is based to identify structure of occupations, training levels for managers, VTIs and learners. Solutions discussed within the Workshop are practical and suitable. Such solutions cover network planning, development of accreditation, quality assurance system; development of vocational teachers, managers; reform of management, administration work in the school, involvement of enterprises in vocational training, etc.