VietNamNet Bridge - While many universities complain they cannot find enough students, some vocational schools have unexpectedly filled enrollment, though they set relatively high exam score requirements.  

Some schools report that they have students who got a 23-24 score on three exam subjects. Meanwhile, a 23-24 score would be enough for students to apply for mid-tier universities. 

Vinatex Economic-Technical College of HCMC plans to enroll 2,100 students for 14 training majors and 2,000 students had applied by the end of August. Eighty percent of the students want to study garment technology and more than 80 percent of applicants are female students.

“The number of students studying garment technology in the last three years is the overwhelming majority because the demand for garment workers is very high,” said Ho Ngoc Tien, headmaster of the school.

“Enterprises contact us and order workers. So graduates will get jobs immediately,” Tien said.

Promising job opportunities and improvement in vocational training quality are attracting students to vocational schools. Many schools can easily attract students with the promise that 100 percent of their graduates will find jobs. 

Promising job opportunities and improvement in vocational training quality are attracting students to vocational schools. Many schools can easily attract students with the promise that 100 percent of their graduates will find jobs.

The Hanoi College of Electromechanics (HCEM) reported that the number of students applying for ‘hot’ majors such as automobile manufacturing, industrial electricity, metal cutting, mechanical engineering, refrigeration engineering and air conditioning accounts for 70 percent of applicants.

The Ha Noi College of Electronic and Electro - Refrigeratory Technics has reassured students that graduates will find jobs in their majors with the initial salary of VND6 million a month. An officer of the school said many students at the school can earn money when studying there.

A high school teacher in Hanoi commented that more students are choosing to go to vocational school instead of university because of the high unemployment rate among university graduates. 

A MOLISA (Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs) report found that about 200,000 university graduates were jobless and the unemployment rate among workers with higher education levels is higher than the rate among blue-collar workers.

Pham Tien Dung, deputy headmaster of the Ha Noi College of Electronic and Electro - Refrigeratory Technics, also commented that parents and students have changed their minds about education. He said they consider job opportunities after graduation before deciding where to go – vocational schools or universities. 

In 2016, the school enrolled a student with a 23.5 exam score. The student could enroll in several faculties at the Hanoi University of Science & Technology and other state-owned universities, but he finally decided to study at Dung’s school.

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