For the project to be highly feasible, it is necessary to focus on innovating the content, methods, and forms of career education through subjects and educational activities in schools in a practical and age-appropriate manner.

Orient yourself

Because he spent a lot of time searching for his belongings, Dinh Quan, a student at Xuan Phuong Secondary School (Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi) had the idea of ​​creating a search application. The student who loves technology has researched and created chips that can be attached to objects and quickly "track" them.

Although the product is still simple, Quan has the idea of ​​finding partners to upgrade and develop the application more widely. Quan shared: “I really like listening to stories related to the topic of startups. That information helps me understand what a startup is, how to plan, and know what I need to learn to develop that idea in the future.”

Students of Phenikaa Inter-level High School (Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi) learn about career experience.

The spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation is increasingly attracting a large number of educational institutions and students to participate. Products, ideas, and projects, no matter how small, with practical applications, not only motivate students to study and practice, but also help them prepare for higher levels of education. Notably, out of 80 projects in the final round of the 5th Student Startup Ideas Competition in 2023, there were 30 projects from students.

This result is the effort of many schools in equipping knowledge, supporting start-ups, and career guidance for students from an early age. Phenikaa Inter-level High School System (Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi) has proactively oriented students' careers through integrated teaching, integrating the introduction of professions in society into subjects. Mr. Pham Anh Tuan, General Director of Phenikaa Inter-level High School said: "At the high school level, introducing programs and fostering knowledge helps students early access to information and knowledge needed for a start-up. From the 2023-2024 school year, Phenikaa Inter-level High School will include Career Guidance and Entrepreneurship as an official subject in the curriculum".

Overcoming shortcomings and innovating career education

At high school age, even though the projects are just ideas or small projects, in order for them to continue pursuing their dreams and turn those project ideas into reality, they need the support of schools, businesses and parents.

Mr. Tran Van Dat, Acting Director of the Department of Political Education and Student Affairs, Ministry of Education and Training, said: “Starting a business is still new to many high school students, so in the process of implementing these activities, one of the main contents is to inspire and communicate to students what starting a business is. Through that, the school also knows what they want. When students have ideas and start-up projects, the school will accompany and support them to develop. The Ministry of Education and Training often organizes competitions. In the national round, there will be businesses participating in evaluating whether the project is feasible or not to invest capital for development.”

Currently, start-up activities of schools are included in the career education program. Students' creative ideas also have many playgrounds to rub against such as science and technology competitions; STEM education activities in schools. Mr. Tran Tuan Anh, who has two children studying at Phenikaa Inter-level High School, said: "At an age when they do not have to worry, integrating start-up education activities in schools helps children have basic knowledge about some professions, thereby shaping their future careers. When parents understand their children's strengths and weaknesses, it will help them have a specific study plan without pressure."

In addition to the achieved results, career guidance for students in general schools in recent times still has many shortcomings and limitations such as not fully performing the function of career guidance education; not creating a qualitative difference in both professional attitude and professional knowledge, especially not developing the ability to choose a suitable career for each student based on a clear understanding of their own abilities and understanding the essential requirements of the career that the learner intends to choose.

To improve career guidance for students, according to education experts, it is necessary to raise awareness of society and students about career guidance education; orient and stream students by innovating and strengthening information and communication work. Along with that are innovations in content, methods, and forms of career guidance education through subjects and educational activities in schools in a practical and age-appropriate manner; increase practice and application of knowledge into real life. Build and develop a team of cadres who do a good job of career guidance education...

These activities are not only limited to schools but also require the participation of vocational training institutions and businesses in developing programs, documents and evaluating vocational education results to meet labor market requirements.

According to Deputy Minister of Education and Training Ngo Thi Minh, to build a comprehensive national startup ecosystem, many factors are needed, in which the education sector is responsible for two important factors: Talent and forming a startup culture. The education sector will do a good job of equipping knowledge, skills, and developing capacity for students from high school so that they have a basic foundation for startups and continue to develop at higher levels of education.

Article and photos: HA TRANG