IOM supports Vietnam to strengthen capacity in vocational education

Last weekend, the General Department of Vocational Education and Training (GDNN) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Vietnam jointly organized the Workshop "Developing digital skills for the workforce in the context of the fourth industrial revolution".

IOM hỗ trợ Chính phủ Việt Nam tăng cường năng lực trong giáo dục nghề nghiệp

Delegates attending the workshop jointly organized by the General Department of Vocational Education and Training (GDNN) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Delegation. (Photo: TT)

The workshop was implemented within the framework of the Project “Supporting the Vietnamese Government to Digitally Transform the Workforce through Enhancing Vocational Education”. The workshop was organized in a combination of face-to-face and online formats with the participation of nearly 200 delegates from units under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the General Department of Vocational Education, IOM, relevant ministries, sectors, international organizations, enterprises, provincial Departments of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, Departments of Vocational Education and Training and domestic and foreign digital transformation experts.

In fact, although Vietnam's economy continues to grow strongly, the rate of youth unemployment or inability to find suitable jobs is relatively high compared to the national unemployment rate of working-age people (7.61% compared to the national average of 2.25%), the main reason being that workers' skills have not met the changing requirements of the labor market.

Therefore, the Vietnamese Government is making efforts to promote digital transformation in all sectors, including vocational education and training, to leverage digital skills to improve the employability and productivity of the working-age population, including vulnerable groups.

With that perspective, the Project "Supporting the Vietnamese Government to Digitally Transform the Workforce through Enhancing Vocational Education" was implemented in 2021 and has initially supported addressing the immediate skill needs of students and the current workforce.

After more than two years of implementation, the Project has achieved impressive results. The online learning platform has attracted more than 15,100 users since its launch; nearly 3,000 students, students, and workers in industrial parks have been informed and guided to study on the Platform; 31,100 courses have been completed and nearly 26,000 certificates have been issued for digital skills courses, contributing to improving the skills of workers, especially migrant workers in industrial parks.

These results affirm the potential of the Online Learning Platform congdanso.edu.vn in enhancing capacity and connecting vocational training institutions with businesses to equip learners with digital skills to access knowledge and information, contributing to promoting digital transformation in vocational education, towards building a digital society, digital economy and digital culture and towards safe and sustainable migration.

In addition, the Reference Document on Digital Transformation Guidelines in Vocational Education has been carefully and scientifically compiled to provide the most basic knowledge about digital transformation, which is the basis for vocational education institutions to develop digital transformation plans in the coming time.

“Investing in skills development in Vietnam is very important. It increases employability and productivity, helping Vietnam gain a stronger foothold in the global economy. That is why IOM is proud of the project in collaboration with the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training, especially our Online Training Platform,” said IOM Chief of Mission Park Mihyung.

The platform helps low-skilled workers and migrant workers improve essential skills such as technical skills, soft skills and digital skills. This reduces their vulnerability, helps them better navigate and increase their adaptability in the digital environment, towards sustainable development".

According to Ms. Park Mihyung, the online training platform is just one of the typical examples of IOM's cooperation with Government agencies and the private sector to find new and creative solutions. We will continue to accompany Vietnam's vocational education in innovating, improving training quality, approaching the level of countries in the region and the world by 2030 and becoming the leading country in vocational education in the ASEAN region by 2045.

Dr. Truong Anh Dung, Director General of the General Department of Vocational Education, said: “With the feedback and active participation of learners, in the coming time, we will coordinate with IOM and partners to continue to disseminate the Online Learning Platform congdanso.edu.vn and the Reference Document on Digital Transformation in Vocational Education to vocational education institutions throughout the system and the workforce, along with the implementation of Decision 2222/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister approving the Digital Transformation Program in Vocational Education to 2025, with a vision to 2030 and the Project on Improving Information Technology Skills for the Vietnamese Workforce, which is currently in the process of being developed and submitted for approval.”

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