AEC presents great opportunities for professionals

This is because the AEC not only allows for the unimpeded free flow of goods and services within the 10-member region— but also for skilled labour in eight specifically identified vocations.

Accountants, architects, doctors, nurses, dentists, engineers, surveyors and tourism professionals with a strong drive to succeed now have a tremendous chance to expand their horizons by taking assignments abroad and reach levels of advancement that hitherto did not exist.

General Director of the General Department of Vocational Training Duong Duc Lan recently sat down for an exclusive interview with a VOV reporter to expound upon this aspect of the AEC.

Following are key translated excerpts capturing the gist of the interview. 

VOV: What are opportunities and challenges for workers when Vietnam joins the AEC?

Mr Lan: Workers have a chance to find employment not only in Vietnam but also in the other nine ASEAN member countries.

However, if they don’t meet the recruitment requirements of other countries they won’t get the best jobs, which provides a strong impetus for them to study hard and excel at their studies and other training.

With highly motivated youth we are confident that over the long run this will translate into Vietnamese professionals gaining invaluable employment in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

VOV: Skilled workers from other ASEAN countries can now get jobs in Vietnam. If Vietnamese workers do not well prepare they will suffer loss on their home turf. What do you think of this issue?

Mr Lan: With opportunity always comes challenges. Workers in the other nine ASEAN countries can now freely move and work in Vietnam. That’s why employees in the designated eight professions must be active and dynamic.

In the past some professionals have been much too weak in interpersonal skills such as those involving team-work, self- discipline, and foreign languages. Now, they will have extra incentive to meet the increased demands brought about by integration.

VOV: How is the vocation training industry preparing for integration?

Mr Lan: Since 2011, the government has issued a number of directions to improve the quality of employee training. We had a vocational training strategy for the 2011-2020 period and a development plan for the 2011-2020 period.

The Prime Minister also approved decisions to allow foreign training curriculum exchange programs and to develop high-quality vocational training schools.

Vietnam has roughly 500 vocational training schools and units.

Around 120 vocational careers have been chosen to develop through exchange programs with foreign nations.

For example, we are working with Australian companies to train 12 careers. By 2018 around 1,200 students will graduate vocational training programs with two certificates – one in Vietnam and one in Australia.

We will implement another exchange program with Germany in the near future so that vocational training certificates will be acknowledged within ASEAN as well as other countries around the globe.

I am positive that Vietnam professionals are ready to compete and take full advantage of the integration process.

VOV: Thank you very much.