VietNamNet Bridge - Nearly 200,000 workers with bachelor’s and master’s degree were unemployed as of the end of the second quarter of the year, as shown in MOLISA’s latest bulletin.

Two years ago, at Hanoi Economics University, there was a meeting between Samsung Vietnam CEO Shim Won Hwang and 500 students of the school. 

The CEO asked: “What do you think you will be doing in 30 years?” Only a few hands were raised in the hall. The majority of participants were embarrassed because they could not imagine what they would be doing in 30 years. 

More than 1 million people were reported unemployed in the second quarter of the year, including 418,000 trained workers. Most of the unemployed were university graduates (191,000). 

There were 94,800 workers that had completed junior colleges (3-year training) and 59,100 workers intermediate school (2-year training). 

Nearly 200,000 workers with bachelor’s and master’s degree were unemployed as of the end of the second quarter of the year, as shown in MOLISA’s latest bulletin.

The high number of 191,000 unemployed bachelor graduates has raised doubts about the knowledge graduates receive at universities and their quality. 

After four to five years at schools, new bachelor degree candidates don’t know what they want to do.

The Mekong Delta is considered the ‘depression area’ on the country’s education map with a lack of trained workers, especially highly qualified workers. However, many university graduates there are unemployed. 

Many of them, after failing to find jobs, have returned to vocational schools.

Nguyen Thuy Tien, born in 1991, an engineer in aquaculture who has worked as an insurance agent to marketing officer, decided to go back to school to study veterinary medicine.

Even graduates who finish school with ‘excellent’ level are refused by employers because they lack experience and skills. What the graduates receive at schools is far from meeting employers’ requirements.

In order to become potential candidates at Japanese enterprises, for example, workers need to have the ‘capability of solving problems’. 

This, as explained by Matsushita Takashi from JICA, means the ability of discovering and solving the problems that arise. He also said Japanese enterprises favored  workers who have original views and dare to defend and voice their opinions.

Shim Won Hwang from Samsung was described as "throwing a ladle of cold water on the Vietnamese view of attaching importance to qualifications" when saying that Samsung and South Korean enterprises value certain attitudes – diligence, creativity and attitude toward people around - above skills.


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