At a forum of young Party members held recently, young people complained that they cannot find suitable jobs which fit their majors.

Many of them have had to ‘put the bachelor’s degree into drawer’ and meet employers with their high school diploma to apply for jobs as factory workers.

Candidates applying for jobs as workers at factories only have to show high school diploma and certificates of vocational schools. Many candidates with bachelor’s degrees have been refused by factories as they only need high school graduates.

Candidates applying for jobs as workers at factories only have to show high school diploma and certificates of vocational schools. Many candidates with bachelor’s degrees have been refused by factories as they only need high school graduates.

Thang Van Phuc, former Deputy Minister of Interior Affairs, commented that Vietnamese still attach too much importance to degrees. Parents are willing to sell everything they have to get money to fund university study.

They don’t care much about the capability of their children and the family economic condition, he said. As a result, Vietnam has a high number of university graduates unable to find jobs in their training majors.

Phuc said people’s awareness about education level and job opportunities should be changed. Punlic information measures need to be applied so that people can understand that all lawful jobs useful for society will be respected.

Bui Kim Tuyen from the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations, blamed the high unemployment rate of university graduates on bad career guidance.

Tuyen said that nearly all high school graduates want to take exams to enroll in universities, but they don’t want to go to vocational schools. It would be better if students can begin receiving advice on jobs and training when they are at secondary school.

She went on to say that universities need to set stricter requirements on students to be sure that only the best students can follow higher education. At present, many universities enroll students who have 13 score only for three exam subjects.

Meanwhile, Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former Head of the Department of Professional Education under the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) said there are problems in training.

“Universities teach students to learn by heart. They provide academic knowledge, but don’t pay high attention to practice hours,” he commented.

Many students go to university but don’t know anything about their future jobs. University graduates have a bachelor’s degree, but don’t have necessary knowledge and skills.

Mai Chi

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