Vocational College No. 4 - Ministry of National Defense: Training quality is the school's reputation

Tradition and pride

In 1993, when the school was first established, the country was facing numerous difficulties. Meanwhile, the Employment Promotion Center - the predecessor of College No. 4 - was just built, the Ministry of National Defense was very weak, the facilities were lacking, outdated and the biggest asset was just a row of level 4 houses. The school's greatest luck was its elite staff, selected from units throughout the industry.

Excavator operation class for students of Vocational College No. 4 - Ministry of National Defense. Photo: QP4 School

It was the soldiers, with their perseverance, tenacity, and quickness, who transformed the school from a completely new model with a new mission into a vocational training center, both studying and working. Six years after its inception, the school merged with the Automobile and Motorcycle Club - Military Region Technical Department, a unit with a lot of experience in civilian and military driving, and the school has truly grown. This was also the premise for the unit to be upgraded to a Vocational School, Vocational Secondary School (2007) in 2002, and from May 2011 to present, the school has developed into Vocational College No. 4/BQP.

The upgrading from a secondary school to a vocational college is also an important turning point for the school, especially after the school was selected by the Government as one of the 45 leading schools in the country in the vocational education system that is prioritized for key investment and construction. Thanks to that, in just a short time, the school has received synchronous and modern investment in terms of facilities, training equipment, and practice workshops.

Along with that, the training scale is also increasing with an average of 10,500 to more than 12,000 students studying each year and is one of the schools with the highest number of training in the Military Vocational Education Block and the Central Region.

Automotive technology is one of two prestigious training professions, following international technology standards of the school. Photo: My Ha

Currently, the school has built and completed 12 college programs; 12 intermediate programs and 7 vocational elementary programs; ensuring modular teaching and vertical and horizontal connectivity; increasing practical training time to 70% of total training time; closely following the needs of businesses and international integration. Among the 17 training majors of the school, there are 2 majors that approach world technology: Automotive Technology, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineering, 4 majors that approach regional technology: Welding, Industrial Electricity, Construction Machinery, Nursing and 1 Pharmacy that reaches national level.

The total investment capital of the school from 2013 to present is 588 billion VND, of which 324 billion VND is for basic construction and 264 billion VND is for equipment purchase.

Currently, 100% of teachers have met the standards according to the Law on Vocational Education. Vocational College No. 4 is one of the leading schools in the block of military universities and colleges with results and achievements in building the titles of Excellent Teacher, Excellent Teacher at the Ministry level; has many topics and initiatives with high application value, benefiting the unit more than 5 billion VND.

Linking training with learner rights

With the characteristics of a national defense school, since its establishment, Vocational College No. 4 - Ministry of National Defense has been the top choice for demobilized soldiers in the North Central region.

In addition, the school is currently training a large number of students and junior high school graduates with three training programs: elementary, intermediate and college. The school is also one of the leading units in Nghe An in training students in different streams, linking cultural teaching with vocational training.

With the motto of training quality as the top choice, job creation as the number one priority, in recent years, the school's training has always been associated with the rights of learners, associated with solving the problem of employment for students after graduation. To do this, the school hasFocus on innovating enrollment work, innovating training programs, diversifying training types, ensuring synchronous facilities, managing and evaluating learning and training results of students.

Colonel, Associate Professor Nguyen Truong Son - School Principal (far right, front row) signed the education support package and gearbox donation program with Nissan Company. Photo: QP4 School

Of the school’s more than 12,000 students, 50% are currently trained at the school, and 50% are studying at domestic and foreign enterprises. In addition, 100% of students are sent to practice and work at enterprises during their training, many students are trained according to the orders of enterprises and receive internship salaries while still students at the school.

For many years now, the school has also played a good role in connecting with businesses in promoting job search and training, providing labor for businesses such as Vietnam Machinery Installation Corporation, Song Da Corporation, Lilama Joint Stock Company. Currently, the school has also linked with colleges and universities in Korea, Japan, and the Federal Republic of Germany to both train and supply labor for foreign markets and is considered to have potential with low costs but high income and employment opportunities.

Foreign language and skills classes for students preparing to study and work in Japan. Photo: My Ha

The school's efforts have been confirmed through 25 training courses with over 90% of technical students graduating with jobs and becoming adults, including many successful businessmen and managers.

Talking about the results achieved, Colonel, Distinguished Teacher, Master Nguyen Truong Son also affirmed: Although 25 years is not a long time, Vocational College No. 4 - Ministry of National Defense has had remarkable development and risen to become one of the highly appreciated vocational schools in the vocational school system of the whole country and the North Central region.

To achieve the results like today is the continuous dedication of generations of cadres, teachers, staff, students of the school, the active support both materially and spiritually of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, the Party Committee, the Military Region Command, the help of the Party committees, authorities, central and local departments and branches... Today's achievements could not have been achieved without determination, daring to innovate, daring to think, daring to do and always knowing how to take credibility and training quality as criteria and motto for development./.

After 25 years of establishment and development, Vocational College No. 4 - Ministry of National Defense has been awarded many noble titles and awards; Second-class Labor Medal; The Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Military Region 4 Command have awarded many emulation flags and certificates of merit. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of its establishment, the school was honored to receive the President's decision to award the First-class Labor Medal for its outstanding achievements in the period 2013 - 2017.