Vocational training - Issues to be addressed

(Baonghean)With 62 vocational training and education institutions, Nghe An is one of the provinces with the largest number of vocational schools in the country. However, the large number of vocational schools also brings significant pressure on enrollment and investment in infrastructure. In this race, the burden always falls on smaller schools and those located in remote areas.

Difficulties in student recruitment and infrastructure investment.

With a fairly large vocational school system (accounting for 42.76% of the North Central region), Nghe An is considered one of the provinces with the largest number of vocational schools in the country. However, vocational training in the province reveals many shortcomings such as a network of vocational training facilities that, despite rapid development, have small training scales, uneven capacity, an unreasonable structure of training fields, and fail to attract students; facilities and equipment do not meet the requirements for training high-skilled workers. The training structure is unsuitable and unbalanced between different vocational levels; the capacity of the teaching staff does not meet the requirements; teaching is still heavily focused on theory and principles, lacking practical application and models.

The most obvious shortcoming currently is the lack of infrastructure. Although the province has 62 vocational training institutions, only a handful are large-scale and well-invested. The majority are in a state of dilapidated and outdated facilities and equipment, failing to meet the requirements for training high-quality personnel. Regarding the Do Luong Economic and Technical College, Mr. Hoang Danh Trung, the Vice Principal, told us: The school was established more than ten years ago and upgraded to a vocational college in 2010, but its facilities and teaching equipment have yet to be upgraded.

According to the plan, the investment in teaching equipment to meet the scale of the vocational secondary school is 100 billion VND, but in the last three years, only 3 billion VND has been invested. The entire school only has one two-story classroom building that is dilapidated, and a row of old, single-story workshops that look like abandoned houses, covered in green moss. The most impressive building is the unfinished three-story building. In the sewing practice room, teacher Nguyen Thi Luong showed us the uneven floor and the leaky roof tiles. The sewing machines used for practice are mainly JuKi brand machines that were invested in more than ten years ago. Le Huu Thanh, born in 1995, from Linh Son commune (Anh Son district), who is studying sewing at the school, shared, "I plan to study sewing to work in Russia, but I'm worried because I'm practicing on old sewing machines, and I don't know if I'll be able to use their modern machinery there."

Vinh Industrial Economic and Technical Vocational College, a central school in the city, currently has its facilities scattered and fragmented. Its main campus and short-term vocational training centers are located in two different places: on Dinh Cong Trang Street (Le Mao Ward), the lecture halls on Ho Han Thuong Street (Cua Nam Ward), and the workshops on Tran Phu Street (Hong Son Ward). Equipment is also minimal, lacking modern machinery and practical training equipment, despite offering programs such as industrial electricity, refrigeration, and automotive technology.

At Nghi Loc Vocational School of Economics and Industrial Technology, Principal Pham Xuan Hong acknowledged that most subjects currently lack sufficient practical equipment. For example, in the automotive technology program, the cutting model for parts requires 9 sets, but only 1 is available. Similarly, the cold tooling system requires 3 sets, but only 1 has been provided. Therefore, to meet the practical training needs of students and the curriculum, the school has to organize extra classes and after-hours training.

The root cause of this situation is the lack of coordination and rationality in investment. Schools themselves have not been proactive in developing investment plans and projects for equipment, and still harbor a mentality of waiting and relying on others. Many localities consider this solely the responsibility of the labor sector or the province, and therefore do not support investment in upgrading schools or vocational training equipment, even though the schools are located within the district and serve the district's workforce training needs.

Shortcomings in investment in infrastructure and equipment have led to difficulties in the enrollment process, especially in district-level and mountainous schools. Every year, based on central and local government budgets, the province allocates quotas and funding for training to all public schools. However, the number of students is insufficient to meet the targets. Every enrollment season, schools struggle to ensure they have enough students. Some schools even have a system of "commissions" for those who advise or refer many students. Even a large school with a strong focus on automotive technology training, like the No. 1 Vocational College of Economics and Technology, only has 35-40 enrollment slots per year, yet the student recruitment rate only reaches 80-85%.

Even prestigious schools with strong brands and relatively good investment in facilities and equipment still primarily focus their enrollment on "hot" majors, while many other majors only have a limited number of students. Vocational School No. 4 of the Ministry of National Defense currently offers 15 vocational training programs. Although not facing the same enrollment difficulties as some other schools, according to Colonel Le Anh Dung, the school's principal, only a few majors, such as automotive technology, air conditioning, and refrigeration, have met their targets. Similarly, Vinh University of Technology Education, despite exceeding its vocational college enrollment by 30% last year, still has some majors with only 25 students and no tuition fees that remain unattended.

The main reason for this situation is the current mentality of many students and parents who prefer being teachers over skilled workers. In addition, the training programs and many vocational training courses offered by schools are not aligned with reality; they do not adequately consider and survey the situation, tastes, psychology, and needs of students and the local community. For example, while many schools offer training in mechanics, automotive industry, and small-scale handicrafts, they have not focused on key industries and strengths to meet the socio-economic development requirements of the province, such as: cement, construction materials, hydropower, beer, livestock farming and dairy processing, ship operation and repair, etc.

To investigate this issue, we visited Nghe An Packaging and General Trading Joint Stock Company, which employs 190 direct production workers, 100% of whom have received vocational training. However, vocational training is only implemented after these workers start working at the factory. Those who have already received training still need retraining because most of the company's machinery is imported from Europe and uses new technology. The company also wants to create opportunities for workers to study and improve their skills, but currently there is no vocational school specifically training for the packaging industry - Mr. Pham Quang Linh, Head of the Organization Department, stated.

According to Mr. Nguyen Trong Thuyen, Head of the Automotive Technology Department at the No. 1 Economic and Technical Vocational College: Students often prioritize diplomas and the school's name over the quality of training. Even though they are all vocational colleges, students flock to departments within universities rather than vocational college diplomas. Mr. Nguyen Huy Luong, Head of the Training Department at the Vinh Industrial Economic and Technical Vocational College, stated: The network of vocational schools in the province is too dense, with 18 out of 21 districts, cities, and towns having vocational secondary or vocational training schools. For smaller schools like ours, being in a district means being constrained by the district's regulations, while competing with larger institutions in the city is impossible. A clear decentralization is needed, directing schools to their proper functions and responsibilities, avoiding waste of facilities, equipment, and teachers.

In reality, the number of potential students who could pursue vocational training in our province is not small, but the number of applicants is very low. For example, in the 2011-2012 school year, out of 1,017 students who graduated from junior high school but did not continue on to high school, only 17 chose vocational training – enrolling in vocational colleges. The percentage of highly skilled workers with training only reached 5.54% in 2010 and about 9% in 2012, with the percentage of trained workers being just over 45%, of which high-level workers (levels 5, 6, and 7) accounted for just over 1%. Why is there this disparity, while vocational students receive tuition and living expenses support from the State? The answer lies in the quality and content of training provided by the schools themselves.

Many sewing machines were invested in at the Do Luong Economic and Technical College.
It has been outdated for a long time.

Effective models

However, over the years, our province has seen some bright spots and high achievements in vocational training. A prime example is the Yen Thanh Vocational College of Technology – a school selected by the General Department of Vocational Training to build a model "exemplary rural vocational school". Located in a predominantly agricultural district with an abundant labor force and a high demand for vocational training, the school has continuously invested in building infrastructure and vocational training equipment, standardizing its teaching staff, and constantly innovating, supplementing, and improving the content of its vocational training programs to meet practical needs.

From the beginning of each school year, the school has coordinated with junior and senior high schools and local authorities to disseminate information to families and villages; assigning staff and teachers to closely monitor areas and setting clear targets. The school also prioritizes training tailored to different labor groups and professions to reduce difficulties for students when participating in vocational training or to enable them to effectively develop their skills in their local area. Of the 12 registered vocational training programs, the school is currently focusing its investment on 3-4 key professions. For example, garment making, because there is a Japanese garment factory in the area, and neighboring districts such as Do Luong and Dien Chau also have garment companies that need to recruit workers. For short-term vocational training, the school focuses on mushroom cultivation and production, and livestock farming, which are part of the district's economic development strategy.

The school discourages training in professions that lack development potential, exceed current capabilities and scale, and are ineffective after students complete their courses. The school prioritizes linking training with job placement, considering this a decisive factor in attracting students and workers to the vocational school – said Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, the school's principal. The school has also established relationships with many large companies and corporations, creating a closed-loop process from recruitment and training to job placement. Therefore, for the past three years, Yen Thanh Vocational College of Technology has placed many graduates in jobs at Machine Assembly Company 3, Machine Assembly Company 7, Cienco4 Company, and Lan Lan Garment Company (Thai Binh). Specifically, in 2012, all 156 graduates found employment, and in 2013, all 115 graduates found jobs.

At the Vietnam-Germany Vocational Technical College, the school invests nearly 5 billion VND annually in vocational training. Notably, the school has fully invested in a high-speed, multi-directional internet-based distance learning system. To improve the quality of teaching and learning, every year, in addition to inviting domestic experts to provide professional development for teachers and participating in provincial and national excellent teacher competitions, the school also invites German experts to contribute to the compilation of framework curricula for several new vocational fields. From the 2004 academic year to the present, the school has provided financial support each year for 20 staff and teachers to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate studies both domestically and internationally.

Over the past 10 years, the school has trained more than 10,000 highly skilled technical workers for the economic sectors of the province and the North Central region. To facilitate employment opportunities for graduates, the school annually collaborates with domestic and international organizations to create job opportunities for students immediately after graduation. The school has also cooperated with the Overseas Labor Export Management Board - Ministry of National Defence, and the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to find job orders and introduce workers to work in countries such as South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)...

Not only are vocational schools striving in vocational training, but with the motto "hands-on guidance," some district-level vocational training centers in mountainous areas have also succeeded with effective livestock farming models. Despite not receiving funding and lacking teachers, requiring contracted staff, the Anh Son District Vocational Guidance and Training Center has opened 12 vocational training classes for farmers in the past six months, including 8 classes in livestock and poultry farming, 2 classes in mushroom cultivation, and 2 classes in sugarcane farming. Many models implemented by ethnic minority communities have proven effective.

In Tra Lan hamlet, Phuc Son commune (Anh Son district), 35 trainees participating in a mushroom cultivation vocational training course organized by the Center quickly produced their own products. After more than a month, the model has yielded four harvests of oyster mushrooms and straw mushrooms, each harvest weighing 4kg. To date, four members have learned to grow mushrooms at home. Ms. Nguyen Thi Chinh, the head of the Women's Association and the class leader of the mushroom cultivation vocational training course, said: "Besides farming, our families here have no other occupation. Now that the center has opened this vocational training course, we are very excited. We have an additional skill and income because straw mushrooms are easy to find, require little investment, and yield a quick harvest."

In Vinh Kim village, Hoa Son commune, most people participate in the model of raising Luong Phuong chickens. After receiving vocational training, each household is provided with 50 chicks. During the rearing process, engineers from the contracted center provide technical guidance and disease prevention care, resulting in rapid growth; in less than 3 months, the chickens reach a weight of 1.5-1.7 kg/each. In Dinh Son, there are also over 30 households raising Luong Phuong chickens, with direct technical guidance from the district's vocational training center.

In Bản Cao Vều village, Phúc Sơn commune, thanks to livestock and poultry farming models implemented by the Vocational Training Center, with over 30 households participating in raising sows, pigs for meat, chickens, ducks, and goats, the people here no longer have to cut firewood and peel bamboo shoots to sell, which depleted the forest while still failing to eradicate poverty.

What is the solution?

In reality, the ability to grasp practical realities to develop enrollment plans and training programs that are relevant to each time period and locality, aligned with market trends, and proactively collaborate with businesses and companies to provide targeted training based on orders and job placement, ensuring employment for graduates, is one of the crucial factors for the survival of vocational schools today.

Furthermore, to improve the quality of vocational training and attract students to vocational schools, it is necessary to focus on improving the quality of the teaching staff in line with the trend of being highly skilled in their respective fields. Currently, the quality of teachers in some vocational schools is low and uneven, and a reluctance to innovate teaching methods, coupled with the widespread practice of "teaching without practical application," is prevalent. Teachers in vocational schools still heavily emphasize "teaching theoretical knowledge" and pay little attention to "teaching practical skills." At a recent meeting to hear and give opinions on the direction and tasks for the new school year, Comrade Ho Duc Phoc - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee - stated that "The vocational teaching staff in our province is currently weak; if the teachers are incompetent, the students cannot be good. Therefore, we must review and supplement vocational teachers with high qualifications and skills, overcoming the situation of teaching without practical application."

Strengthen the state budget and invest in upgrading infrastructure, prioritizing the development of high-quality vocational schools and training programs that meet international, ASEAN, and national standards, as well as vocational training centers in rural areas and ethnic minority regions. Upgrade and invest in new vocational training equipment to suit the realities of production. Avoid the situation where retraining is required before employing trained workers. Schools need to strive to ensure minimum investment in infrastructure and vocational training equipment for their training programs. Apply advanced technology to teaching, reduce theoretical time, and increase practical time. For schools lacking equipment, they should proactively collaborate with production facilities and workshops to not only practice on "models," but also allow students to experience working in workshops and practicing with modern machinery, equipment, and technology. Because "practical training determines vocational skills."

It is important to recognize that currently in our province, the majority of the workforce is still engaged in agriculture. Therefore, schools, especially those in rural areas, need to focus on suitable professions related to crop cultivation, animal husbandry, machinery, mechanics, and the application of science and technology in production... in line with the current rural development efforts. For rural workers, it is advisable to increase practical training in fields, gardens, ponds, livestock pens, and specific economic models... with flexibility in terms of time and methods.

Proactively opening short-term training courses during periods of agricultural inactivity encourages rural workers to learn vocational skills. “Vocational schools in rural areas must know how to ‘make do with what they have,’ not try to do everything at once, but should base their training on the actual capabilities and conditions to focus on professions that suit practical needs, local strengths, and the needs of the workforce…” – affirmed Mr. Tran Van Tuan, Principal of Yen Thanh Vocational College of Technology.

It is also important to emphasize that the majority of workers in our province are still poor and lack the financial means to attend long-term training courses far from their hometowns (even if tuition is waived, living and travel expenses are still a burden for poor households and students). Therefore, it is necessary to adjust tuition fees appropriately for each target group and region; and to implement policies to support vocational training by either allowing students to defer tuition payments and repay them gradually after graduation and employment, or by providing government loans for vocational training that can be repaid in installments. Organizations, associations, or local authorities can coordinate or take the lead in implementing this policy.

Nghe An is on its way to developing into an economic and cultural center of the North Central region. Therefore, it is necessary to identify skilled labor as a crucial resource. The target for vocational training needs by 2020 is 390,000 people, including 125,000 skilled workers. Thus, investing in the development of vocational schools is a correct and appropriate direction, aligning with the province's socio-economic development goals and current practical needs. Most importantly, vocational training must be linked to the planning of each locality, focusing on training quality, support, and job placement for trainees after graduation. Strengthening state management of vocational training is crucial to prevent financial losses and waste, ensuring the quality of human resources to serve socio-economic development in the direction of industrialization and modernization.

Text and photos: Ha Ly - S. Thuan