To increase job opportunities in Europe, what should Vietnamese international students do?

At the European Education Fair held on October 19, many representatives from 60 universities and businesses had discussions and career counseling sessions to help Vietnamese students orient their study abroad and find job opportunities in countries of the European Union (EU).

During the discussion session on career prospects, many young people asked the businessmen and experts: What knowledge and skills should students prepare during their studies to "secure" the opportunity to work in Europe after graduation?

A representative of a German university advises parents and students on policies and scholarships for studying abroad.

PHOTO: UYEN PHUONG LE

Language plays an important role

In the context of globalization, according to Ms. Asun Pletie, Head of Training Department at Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), language is an important tool to help students integrate into the host country. "The first advice I give to international students is to learn the local language, because understanding the language will improve communication skills, helping students integrate and connect more easily," Ms. Asun Pleti shared.

In addition to the global language of English, students who know a native language such as German, French or Spanish will have a competitive advantage when applying to multinational corporations. Ms. Irina Nicoleta Simion, Head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the University of Strasbourg (France), said that in France, in some professions related to social sciences, culture and arts, French is required. "English may no longer be necessary," Ms. Irina said.

Master Huynh Do Bao Tam, who studied abroad with an Erasmus+ scholarship, shared that during her studies and work in European countries such as Belgium, Germany, Portugal, etc., the local language is very important if you want to find job opportunities. "Companies will not choose international employees because it hinders communication with them. Proficiency in the language also helps employees adapt quickly to the company's processes and culture," Ms. Bao Tam emphasized.

Master Bao Tam advises students about the Erasmus scholarship program

PHOTO: UYEN PHUONG LE

Understanding the difficulties of international students when having to learn the native language, many universities in Europe have provided free language courses. Prof. Dr. Monika Frey-Luxemburger, Hochschule Furtwangen University, said: "Our school has free German courses, arranged to suit the study schedule of foreign students." In addition, she emphasized that students should participate in language classes from the first semester to have the best preparation for future work.

More than just expertise

Receiving more than 12,000 international students from 156 different cultures each year, Ms. Irina Nicoleta Simion affirmed that it is not professional qualifications but intercultural skills that are the key factors that help foreign students stand out and easily conquer employers.

"Interculturality is the skill of understanding, respecting and communicating effectively with people from different cultures. When students know how to adapt and accept each other's differences, they will easily integrate, study and work in a multicultural environment, thereby improving work performance and limiting conflicts," Ms. Irina shared.

A representative from the University of Strasbourg encourages international students to learn to adapt to a multicultural environment.

PHOTO: UYEN PHUONG LE

Sharing the same view, Ms. Asun Pletie believes that a potential international employee is someone who actively integrates into a new culture. "To prove that they are suitable for the company, candidates need to show that they are part of the host country community. If they only stay within familiar circles such as fellow countrymen and hometown cuisine, students will lose the opportunity to fully experience the local culture. This makes you unintentionally become 'stranger' in the eyes of employers," Ms. Asun commented.

Regarding professional knowledge, according to Mr. William, a speaker at the career opportunity seminar at European enterprises, only 5% of university knowledge is directly applied to work, the remaining 95% can be forgotten or rarely used. Therefore, instead of competing for achievements at school, students should learn more soft skills, the most important of which is logical thinking.

Mr. William advises students to practice logical thinking and actively learn new things.

PHOTO: UYEN PHUONG LE

"This skill trains you to approach and solve problems quickly and effectively, while improving your ability to interact and work in groups with colleagues, increasing work efficiency. In addition, logical thinking allows you to learn new things very quickly," Mr. William explained.

As a former student at Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands), Ms. Dang Phuong Linh, a member of the advisory board of the EU Alumni Network, commented that Vietnamese students are quite hard-working and quick-witted. "Vietnamese people are very eager to learn, actively absorb and develop new things, this is an important skill when working in Europe. It helps us know a lot, understand a lot, become a multi-talented employee, and have a competitive advantage over local colleagues," Ms. Phuong Linh added.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/de-tang-co-hoi-lam-viec-tai-chau-au-du-hoc-sinh-viet-can-lam-gi-185241020180522558.htm