VietNamNet Bridge - Going to vocational schools instead of university tends to be the choice of more students. Reports show workers with good skills can have better incomes than some university graduates.

Tran Van Hai, a student at the Ky Anh High School in Ha Tinh province, said he does not intend to continue studying at university though his learning capability is good.

“I know a lot of university graduates who are unemployed. I think it would be better for me to go to vocational school or go abroad as exported worker after I finish high school,” he said.

“My sister only passed the exam to enter the Hue City University of Education after three trials. She finished the school in 2012 and stayed jobless for two years. She has just opened a fashion shop in town to earn her living,” he said.

Cao Van Sam, deputy general director of the General Department of Vocational Training, noted that he can see big changes in Vietnamese students’ thoughts about careers. 

A report of his general directorate showed that 70 percent of vocational school graduates can find jobs immediately. The proportion is 100 percent in some ‘hot’ careers.

“They have realized that workers with good skills can more easily find jobs and have better incomes than university graduates,” he said.

The reports from local education and training departments show high percentages of students who register to attend the finals just to finish high school, not to apply for university.

In Ha Giang and Hoa Binh provinces, 70 percent of high school students said they don’t intend to go to university. The figures are 55 percent in Yen Bai, Bac Kan and Dien Bien, and 35 percent in Kon Tum province.

Not only poor provinces, but Hanoi has also seen a significant decrease in the number of students planning to go to university. A report showed that 14,716 out of 66,006 students in the city only want to finish high schools. The ratio was 11,000 vs 84,000 in 2015.

According to Ngo Van Chat from the Hanoi Education and Training Department, the proportion is especially high in some schools, such as Einstein (70 percent) and Mac Dinh Chi (90 percent).

Quach Van Son, headmaster of Sao Bay High School in Hoa Binh, noted that students might see how hard teachers have to struggle to become official workers to receive salary from the state budget and they are discouraged.

Sam said it is necessary to encourage students to go to vocational school after they finish high school. It is less costly to go to vocational school than to university, while students can easily find jobs after graduation.

A report of his general directorate showed that 70 percent of vocational school graduates can find jobs immediately. The proportion is 100 percent in some ‘hot’ careers.

“A skilled welder now earn up to VND100 million a month,” he said. 

Tien Phong