Bridging the Gap between
Vocational Schools and Enterprises
On November 8, 2024, in Quang Ninh, the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) under the Ministry of Labor- Invalids, and Social Affairs (MOLISA) hosted a conference on basic vocational training and continuous vocational training, with a focus on enhancing collaboration between training institutions and businesses. Approximately 300 representatives from the Departments of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, vocational schools, and businesses across the country attended. From 2016 to 2025, more than 18 million people nationwide have been trained, including 8.5 million in basic vocational training and over 9 million in continuous training programs, helping workers meet the demands of the changing world of work.
In this new era, vocational training in Vietnam faces significant challenges, requiring improvements in training quality, better labor market forecasting for the medium and long term, and stronger partnerships between training institutions and businesses. At the conference, ManpowerGroup Vietnam—a leading global workforce solutions company—shared insights from employers’ perspectives and proposed solutions to address these challenges.
ManpowerGroup Vietnam emphasized the importance of anticipating future labor market trends. These insights guide policymakers, businesses, training institutions, and workers in making informed decisions. In its latest Employment Outlook Q4/2024 report, ManpowerGroup Vietnam highlighted the dynamism of the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam, with a positive net employment outlook. Companies plan to hire have reached a notable rate of 43%.
To align training programs with industry needs, ManpowerGroup conducts specific research on the latest labor market trends. With the increasing adoption of technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, vocational schools must adapt to equip workers with the necessary skills for the future of work.
ManpowerGroup Vietnam also identified a skills gap among workers. About 76% of businesses are now shifting from degree-based to skills-based hiring, with 55% conducting specialized skill assessments tailored to each position. Therefore, candidates should focus on developing additional soft skills, such as discipline, reliability, adaptability, creativity, and a strong sense of responsibility.
Being proficient in a foreign language is a significant advantage for workers. According to ManpowerGroup Vietnam, some companies are now willing to pay up to 30% more to candidates who are fluent in at least one foreign language, provided they have the same technical skills as other applicants.
In line with its commitment to workforce development, ManpowerGroup Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the conference with Ho Chi Minh City Vocational College, Hai Phong Polytechnic College, and the College of Agricultural Mechanics (Vinh Phuc). This initiative is part of ManpowerGroup’s global sustainable development efforts and its long-standing strategic partnership with MOLISA, initiated in 2008.
At the conference, the DVET, along with experts and representatives from various businesses and vocational training institutions, engaged in valuable discussions aimed at improving both the quality and quantity of basic and continuous vocational training in Vietnam. According to DVET, the 2025 training and enrollment target is set at 2.2 million people, including 950,000 in basic vocational training and 1.25 million in continuous training programs.
