Who will be in control?
(Baonghean) - For a long time, we've heard too much about Vietnam's commitments within the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), with only months left before they become a reality. It seems all attention is focused on commitments regarding trade in goods, and the issue of tariff barriers… Occasionally, warnings about fierce but fair competition, about the possibility of "losing the ball on home ground," have appeared on forums with increasing frequency.
However, one issue that we believe also needs to be addressed is the labor market. The information currently attracting public attention is the July 20th report from the Institute of Labor and Social Sciences on the updated labor market data for the first quarter of 2015. According to this report, over 1.1 million people nationwide were unemployed in the first three months of this year. This is a shocking figure for anyone concerned about this thorny issue. What is worrying is that while economic indicators show positive signs, the number of unemployed increased by 114,000. Even more surprising is that nearly 178,000 of these unemployed individuals are graduates with bachelor's and master's degrees. The number of unemployed college graduates increased from 79,000 to over 100,000. Meanwhile, the number of unskilled laborers without formal training also surged from 630,000 to 726,000. The underemployment rate also increased. The number of people working less than 35 hours per week and wishing to work more hours was 1.13 million, up from the end of 2014, with the number of underemployed workers in rural areas being almost double that in urban areas.
We know that globally, the unemployment rate is one of the indicators of growth opportunities. In the US, positive unemployment reports always lead to a surge in the stock market, and vice versa. Unfortunately, in our country, this figure is sometimes not given the attention it deserves.
As mentioned above, in just a few months we will officially join the ASEAN Economic Community. From a positive perspective, it can be affirmed that job opportunities will expand for workers. However, opportunities are also linked to challenges. If we don't seize this so-called "freedom," the risk of job losses for high-skilled workers is inevitable. According to the commitments, eight occupations in ASEAN countries will have free movement through mutual recognition agreements on professional qualifications, including: accountants, architects, dentists, doctors, engineers, nurses, transport workers, and tourism personnel. At the same time, the demand for labor in the processing and manufacturing industries is projected to continue to increase. The effective employment law will create a legal framework for the labor market to integrate more deeply with countries in the region and internationally.
The situation is dire, yet many workers remain completely unconcerned. Among the recently released unemployment figures, we are particularly concerned about the 178,000 master's and bachelor's degree holders who are currently idle in society.
A long-standing problem plaguing the Vietnamese psyche – the obsession with academic degrees? It's unclear when or where this belief originated, but it's deeply ingrained in the thinking of many Vietnamese: university is the only path to success in life. And so, they try every means to get into university. Those who excel academically naturally seek out prestigious universities. Others attend second- or third-tier institutions, and then private ones… If they can't get into regular full-time programs, they enroll in open programs, part-time programs, or distance learning programs. Even worse, some complete vocational training and then "crawl" their way to university through articulation programs.
Besides a group of academically strong individuals who continue on to postgraduate programs, the rest, who haven't found jobs yet, are... studying! Some even pursue master's degrees to avoid wasting time. Thus, the trend of "everyone with a master's degree" is quietly encouraged, especially in urban areas. These individuals have contributed, are contributing, and will continue to contribute to the 1.1 million unemployed people. Remember last year, a story went viral on social media about a bakery hiring staff for selling sandwiches, but the requirement was a master's degree. It was truly laughable!
We need to change our perceptions of degrees and employment immediately. Leaving aside the true quality of those flashy degrees for now, what good are degrees if they don't align with the needs of society? The demand for highly skilled labor still exists, and students should cultivate a profession that suits their strengths, abilities, and the practical needs of society. That is the wise thing to do, that is the mark of being educated, and that is the responsibility.
Before writing this article, I received information that on the morning of July 18th, the Yen Thanh Vocational College of Agriculture and Industry held a graduation ceremony and handed over 100 workers to domestic companies and businesses. At the Vietnam-Korea School, the Vietnam-Germany School, Vocational School No. 4, and Vocational School No. 1 in the province, businesses have also "welcomed" graduates at their homes more than once – that's the practical approach! Deep integration is fast approaching, and regarding labor issues, we shouldn't let our partners "hold the upper hand" when we are a vocational training center.
Nguyen Khac An
