In response to the growing trend of digital technology application and development, universities have expanded their training programs in the field of Information Technology and collaborated with domestic and international enterprises to enhance the quality of education. In this spirit, DTU, in collaboration with the Department of IT and Communications Industry of the Ministry of Information and Communications, the Vietnam Informatics Association, the Club of IT and Vietnam Association of Faculties-Institutes-Schools-Universities of ICT (FISU Vietnam), and Da Nang Department of Information and Communications, hosted the "Training Digital Technology Workforce to Meet the Needs of the Vietnamese and Global Labor Market" conference This conference aims to foster the collaboration between the government, enterprises, and educational institutions to provide the society with a workforce that meets both quantitative and qualitative demands.
The demand for highly qualified Digital Technology human resource is a challenge
In his opening speech, Mr. Nguyen Long, General Secretary of the Vietnam Informatics Association, stated: "Developing a digital workforce to meet the demands of the Vietnamese labor market and reach a global level is one of the goals Da Nang City is particularly focused on. The city has expanded financial resource investments and offering many preferential policies and suitable training programs to attract leading strategic investors in the field of Information Technology, especially in the semiconductor chip sector. However, the shortage of highly qualified digital technology personnel meeting practical skills and professional requirements remains a challenge. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to organize this conference, with the participation of top managers, experts, lecturers, and students. It aims to provide a positive opportunity for sharing and exchanging ideas to devise effective strategies to improve the quality of digital technology workforce training, thereby contributing to the development of society and the country."
Mr. Nguyen Long, General Secretary of the Vietnam Informatics Association
Dr. Nguyen Thanh Tuyen, Deputy Director General of the Department of Information and Communication Technology Industry under the Ministry of Information and Communications, shared: “With a focus on attracting investment to develop key industries, foundational industries, and emerging technologies, closely linked to the domestic market and enterprises, and aiming for deeper participation in regional and global value chains, the Prime Minister has chaired meetings with leaders of leading global technology corporations and FDI enterprises within the first six months of 2024, including Apple, Intel, NVIDIA, Foxconn, Meta, Synopsys, Microsoft, SpaceX, and Samsung. Additionally, they have been requested to enhance cooperation with Vietnam in technology transfer and support the training of high-quality human resources in the fields of Semiconductors, IT and AI. Presently, the State is focusing on flexibly and effectively implementing solutions for the development of semiconductor human resources to meet the goal of training from 50,000 to100,000 personnel for the semiconductor industry by 2030.”
Presently, about 70% of universities and colleges in Vietnam offer IT training programs. These institutions have also added new majors to align with global technology trends, such as AI and Cybersecurity. This demonstrates Vietnam's efforts to expand the supply of IT professionals and provide society with a highly qualified workforce. However, there are still not many universities focusing on in-depth training in these fields.
Dr. Nguyen Quang Thanh, Director of Da Nang Department of Information and Communications
According to Dr. Nguyen Quang Thanh, Director of Da Nang Department of Information and Communications: "To provide a diverse digital technology workforce, it is necessary to offer specialized training in various fields such as Cloud Computing, Semiconductor Microchips, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, and so on. Currently, very few institutions offer in-depth training in these fields. In Da Nang, only a few schools, such as Da Nang University of Technology, (Da Nang University); DTU; Vietnam-Korea University of Information and Communication Technology, (Da Nang University), offer these programs, but the numbers are still limited. A practical solution for training institutions is to promptly implement digital universities, expand disciplines, use open-source software as learning resources to analyze projects, offer dual degrees in Information Technology, increase short-term courses, and establish connections between universities, government, and businesses in the city to provide standard training aligned with the output needs of businesses."
Building an IT training ecosystem closely aligning with the practical needs of businesses.
The conference saw the participation of many university leaders with the goal of sharing various methods and approaches that have been implemented to achieve the highest efficiency in training activities.
Among the speakers, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Gia Nhu, Rector of the DTU School of Computer Science, presented on the topic: “The IT Workforce Training Ecosystem: A Perspective from DTU.” He provided a detailed overview of the IT training ecosystem at the university.
Many university leaders and business representatives shared activities aimed at achieving the highest efficiency in IT workforce training
The ecosystem at DTU was established through the integration of various elements such as the curriculum, technological infrastructure, faculty, corporate partnerships, development of "soft" skills, support for entrepreneurship and research, and the internationalization of education. The strong connection between DTU and digital corporations and enterprises brings many practical benefits to training activities, helping students quickly adapt to the requirements of the realistic working environment.
With nearly 500 students taking courses in AI, Big Data, and IoT each year, along with programs from the Samsung Innovation Campus project, DTU not only provides learning and research opportunities for young people interested in digital technology but also opens up job opportunities for students. Most recently, LLL Company, a cybersecurity enterprise, came to interview and recruited 23 talented students participating in the "Safe-Cybersecurity Talent Incubator" (Blue Rock) project.
Participants took photos with top managers and experts, government administration, and businesses in the IT and Digital Technology
Representatives from other universities, such as FPT University, University of Technology, (VNU HCMC), and University of Technology (VNU Hanoi), also shared their activities in IT workforce training over the years, including designing curricula to international standards, collaborating with numerous domestic and international corporations and businesses, and partnering with various international universities to send students abroad. The significant advantages of close connections between universities and businesses include creating a good environment for students to develop and demonstrate their abilities, providing opportunities for students to work with businesses right on campus, offering financial support to students, and attracting resources from businesses.
Hero of Labor and Distinguished Teacher Le Cong Co, DTU Chairman, shared: “It is said that the development of the 4.0 technological revolution, especially the emergence of AI technology, provides many powerful tools for humans, thus diminishing the importance of higher education or foreign languages learning. However, I believe that the advent of AI technology in the digital age further urges us to learn to enhance our abilities, improve foreign language skills, and deepen our IT knowledge to master technology while using AI as a powerful assistant for our work. Therefore, today's conference not only creates an opportunity for us to meet and connect but also to share and exchange valuable experiences, and come up with the best solutions for training a digital technology workforce meeting the needs of both the Vietnamese and global labor markets.”
(Media Center)