VietNamNet Bridge – Human resources training for the natural resources and environment sector in Viet Nam has so far failed to meet needs, an expert says.

A lab worker analyses the quality of treated water at Binh Duong Environment and Water Company. The country is facing a shortage of trained staff in the environment sector because students are not interested. (Photo: VNS)
Dr Nguyen Dinh Tuan, rector of the HCM City Natural Resources and Environment University, said that the number of students enrolling at schools and faculties dealing with natural resources and environment was not enough to meet the demand of organisations involved in working on related issues.

The Departments of Natural Resources and Environment at the district level nationwide were facing a shortage of officials with expertise in environmental sciences, geology, hydrology and mapping.

In particular, many localities had no officials with knowledge of hydrometeorology, and the number of students applying to study the subject was not high, Tuan said.

Many people working in this sector also did not have the skills and knowledge that their jobs would need in the future, he said, adding the lack of managerial skills pertaining to this sector was another matter of concern.

Moreover, although there were many universities offering training in environmental sciences and natural resources management, they failed to conform to similar standards, affecting human resource quality in the sector.

Currently, more than 100 education institutions nationwide have more than 11,000 students studying the subjects, but most of them do not get the opportunity to deal with the actual situation on the ground.

It has been estimated that by 2015, nearly 200,000 officials will be needed for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, other State management offices, newly established organisations like the land fund development as well as enterprises in industrial and export processing zones.

The ministry has petitioned the Prime Minister to quickly approve the establishment of more universities and institutions specialising in training human resources for natural resources and environmental sector, and the upgrade of existing areas.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News