Uiip university industry internship training program

Among them are well-known higher education institution such as the Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, HCM City University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Ton Duc Thang University,

This is a new trend among higher education institutions in Vietnam in recent years.

Explaining this trend, associate Professor Bui Hoai Thang, Head of the Training Department of Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, said that universities consider the IELTS and international certifications as criteria for recruiting students because they want to promote international integration. The further goal is that these students are ready for the studying environment in developed countries. Thus, in the future, they will join well-trained human resources in Vietnam.

“This is diversity in student enrollment. Universities are looking for other methods so that when the high school graduation exam no longer counts for university admission, only for high-school graduation, universities still can take the initiative in enrollment,” said Thang.

Pham Thai Son, who is in charge of enrollment at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, said universities favor candidates who hold internationally-credited English certificates or international certificates because these students are knowledgeable about careers, job opportunities, and university programs.

The candidates are familiar with university programs at high school, so when entering college, it is easy for them to pursue training programs. As they have learned English from a young age, their English is good enough to easily read documents, communicate and have a higher chance of integration.

Nguyen Tuan Kiet, Deputy Head of the Training Division of the Faculty of Medicine, National University of Ho Chi Minh City, said that students who were recruited this way have very good English so they study well. These students are also quite active, adapting to the new environment very quickly.

“These are the two skills that students of the Faculty of Medicine need to have. We expect that these students be well qualified after graduation, besides having good theoretical skills, medical knowledge, cooperation skills, and teamwork skills,” Kiet said.

Le Huyen

Nguyen Minh Hieu was in disbelief when he found out he had won a VND900 million ($39,000) scholarship to RMIT University in Vietnam, a sweet payoff after years of craving access to higher education.

Hard work pays off

Hieu was born into a low-income family in the southern Vietnamese countryside. After losing his father in a tragic explosion at a young age, his journey to education has always been at risk of being cut short.

“We wound up losing our home and my mom and I had to move into an abandoned temple. We stayed there for nearly 20 years,” Hieu said.

Though still just a child, Hieu did his best to help relieve his mother’s financial burden.

“When I was in seventh grade, I begged my mum to let me drop out of school so she could save money on tuition, but she refused,” Hieu shared.

Six years later, after graduating from high school with no money to attend university, Hieu took up a job as a delivery driver.

“I began working for a bakery. I had to wake up at 4:00 am each morning to deliver cakes and bread. My shift lasted until very late at night.”

Hieu had almost given up all hope of a higher education when he found KOTO – a social enterprise with a mission to empower at-risk and disadvantaged youths in Vietnam through its internationally recognized hospitality training program.

“I felt like my chances of getting into KOTO’s program were pretty low, but I still decided to give it a shot,” Hieu shared.

In the end, Hieu’s steadfast commitment to education won over the KOTO representatives at his interview and he was admitted into the program.

Hieu is particularly grateful for the soft skills he was able to develop during his time at KOTO, particularly the improvements to his English abilities he was able to make through his interactions with foreign customers.

Coming to fruition

All of his hard work, gratitude and dedication paid off when Hieu received a scholarship awarded in 2018 by KOTO in partnership with TAFE NSW in Australia to study for an Advanced Diploma in Hospitality Management.

“Hieu is one of the most dedicated students I have witnessed in over 20 years of teaching,” said Karen Law, a professor at TAFE NSW.

“He has true respect for the opportunity he’s been given and a clear goal of assisting other young people who came from very difficult backgrounds and want to achieve something.”

Hieu’s determination and thirst for knowledge have also made a strong impression on Huong Dang, Hieu’s mentor and the founder and CEO of the social enterprise HopeBox.

“I have witnessed Hieu achieving many milestones as he’s grown from a young boy with low-self-esteem to a completely transformed young man who is confident and has a heart full of hope,” Dang said.

This year, after passing a rigorous selection process, Hieu was accepted into the RMIT Vietnam 2020 Scholarship program at the age of 28.

“My biggest goal is to create a bigger impact in society and give people the chance to lend a helping hand.  Together we can build a stronger community and continue to support disadvantaged youths in Vietnam,” Hieu said.

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Synchronous and modern industrial clusters are taking shape

Vietnam now has 905 ICs covering 30,747ha and 895 others on 30,768ha have been approved for detailed planning. Almost 700 ICs on an area of 21,686 ha have become operational, attracting about 12,000 investment projects with an average occupancy rate of 65 percent, creating jobs for nearly 600,000 workers. Some 123 ICs have wastewater treatment systems in operation.

The legal documents on mechanisms and policies for IC management have been completed. These include Government Decree 68/2017/ND-CP on management and development of ICs and legal documents on planning, investment, construction, land and the environment. Based on these policies, localities have mapped out planning, construction, expansion and investment in IC infrastructure.

In general, localities have carried out IC management and development in a coordinated fashion. The MoIT has regularly responded to requests and guided localities on management coordination, preferential policies, support and selection of investors and other issues.

However, the progress of investment in IC infrastructure construction in recent years has been too slow due to difficulties in accessing capital and complex procedures on compensation and site clearance, as well as confusion over regulations on selecting investors. In some localities, the construction of ICs did not comply with certain regulations or clashed with others. For example, ICs are established and expanded according to Decree 68, but IC infrastructure construction is regulated by procedures on investment. Many localities have not fully recognized the local departments of industry and trade as the lead agencies to which proposals must be submitted for evaluation before being passed on to the provincial people’s committees to decide on investment in ICs and other related administrative procedures.

In 2021, the MoIT will complete reports on investment proposals and management documents on IC infrastructure programs for the 2021-2025 period and submit them to relevant authorities. In addition, it will strengthen the management of national industrial promotion projects to support ICs and guide, synthesize, evaluate and develop national industrial promotion plans in 2022. At the same time, the ministry will also organize activities for IC development, such as training courses to disseminate mechanisms, policies and laws on investment and industrial structure development.

The MoIT will continue to increase the budget allocation for IC development activities, especially promotion activities to attract potential businesses and investors.

Ngan Thuong