Lesson 1: Trained human resources are thirsty for jobs

(Baonghean) -Every year, Nghe An has tens of thousands of university and college graduates, but very few of them find jobs. The dream of finding a stable job… for many of them is becoming increasingly distant…

Graduated from college, went back to… farming

When I went to Tan Ky for work, I was told about her sad situation by Truong Thi Van (born in 1984), a Tho ethnic in Vinh Thanh hamlet, Dong Van commune: “I am a student of the 45th course of the History Department of Vinh University, graduating in 2008 with a good degree. My family is poor, hoping to have a brighter future after graduation. But now, nearly 5 years after graduating, I still have not found a job. I went to submit my application to the Department of Education of Tan Ky district. Through an acquaintance, my family borrowed 20 million VND for me and sent it to someone working in the district. A year later, I asked them to return the money and they said no.

Disappointed, I submitted my application to Tuong Duong district, Con Cuong, and an acquaintance told me to submit 40 million VND to “run”. The family was overjoyed, borrowed 10 million VND from the policy bank, borrowed 10 million VND from the agricultural bank, borrowed from neighbors to “ask” an acquaintance in Tuong Duong district. I waited another two years, but it was not successful. Impatient, every month the family had to pay interest to the bank, pay interest to neighbors, I had to go to Tuong Duong to get the money back. I went 3 times to get it back. I submitted my application to work in Dong Van commune, hoping to do some clerical work or some miscellaneous work, but the commune was full and there was no need. By the 4th year, bored and hopeless, I had to get married, my husband graduated from an agricultural and forestry college but still had no job.



Young engineers working at the Chemical Laboratory - Song Con Sugar Factory - Tan Ky.

In the mountainous commune of Dong Van, not only Van, who graduated from university, is unemployed, but many others such as Le Thi Thuy (Vinh Thanh) who studied Political Science at Vinh University, Ngo Thi Nguyet from Tan Dong hamlet who graduated from Hue University... have not found a job, and there are many college graduates. Chairman of Dong Van commune - Mr. Pham Cong Ly said: After many years of efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning, now each year Dong Van has more than 40 students graduating from universities and colleges. But finding a job can be counted on the fingers.

Nguyen Thi Hong Sam from Nghi Loc passed the entrance exam to Hanoi Agricultural University 1. The whole neighborhood was happy for her, hoping that she would become an agricultural engineer after graduation. She graduated with a good grade and a regular degree, but for the whole year she could not find a job in her hometown. So she rushed to Hanoi, applying to sell goods at a supermarket to earn extra income to pay off the bank loan and help her family.

Thu Tam in Hamlet 14 Nghi Phu - Vinh City is also a student with difficult circumstances. With good academic performance, she was admitted to Hanoi University of Commerce. However, more than a year after graduating, she has been traveling all over the province but still cannot find a job in her major.

The situation of university and college graduates not being able to find jobs is becoming common. Many families are determined to “find” jobs for their children, spending a lot of money on “brokers” but their children still do not have jobs.

Flooded with universities and colleges

If in 2007, Vietnam had 311 universities and colleges, in 2009, there were 376 universities and colleges, then by 2012, that number was over 400 schools. It is expected that by 2020, Vietnam will have up to 467 universities and colleges (according to the Prime Minister's approval of the university and college network planning from 2006 - 2020). Every year, dozens of universities and colleges are established. Enterprises, ministries, branches, and localities all have schools. According to a sociological survey at 3 key national universities in 2012, up to 46.5% of graduates could not find jobs. In Nghe An, a human resource training center of the North Central region, there are currently 10 universities and colleges (4 universities and 6 colleges). In 2013, there were 12,191 students in Nghe An who graduated from vocational secondary schools or higher but could not find a job, including 1 master's degree, 3,047 university degrees, and 4,042 college degrees. Report No. 40/SGDĐT Nghe An dated January 7, 2013 of the Department of Education and Training showed many worrying numbers: Currently, there are more than 7,000 students who have not found a job after graduating. Many localities have stagnant human resources through training: Vinh City: 489 university graduates, 464 college degrees, 506 college degrees who have not found a job; Thanh Chuong: 507 college degrees, 401 university degrees, 502 college degrees; Tan Ky: 314 university degrees, 387 college degrees; Nghi Loc: 402 university degrees, 417 college degrees, Yen Thanh: 188 university degrees, 253 college degrees, etc.



People borrow student loans for their children to go to university at Nghi Loc Bank.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Ha - Head of the Department of Vocational Education, the State is promoting education according to social needs, so the number of training in schools is normal. However, according to many opinions, "social needs" have been understood as the needs of learners, not the needs of society.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, in 2012 there were only 120 positions for civil service exams, but up to now, 1,856 applications have been received. Hundreds of bachelors and engineers with red diplomas are also at risk of unemployment.

The economy is in recession, facing difficulties, many businesses are closing down, while the administrative sector is almost “frozen”, causing the door to life as desired by many students to be closed. Meanwhile, it can be seen that universities and colleges are still constantly expanding the size of their schools and training scale, trying to attract more students to study without caring where their students go, where they return, and what they do after graduation!

Chau Lan