The German Chamber of Skilled Crafts Potsdam yesterday handed over a Letter of Acknowledgement to certify the equivalence of two occupational standards offered by the LILAMA 2 Technical and Technology College in Dong Nai Province.

The two are occupational standards for construction machinery technicians and industrial electronics technicians.

Two courses have been developed based on the standards, the university said. They will be introduced in this school year.

“German standards serve as international benchmarks and were adjusted according to the needs of the Vietnamese labour market,” Lê Văn Hiền, president of the college, said.

The close involvement of Vietnamese professional associations and more than 20 professionals from leading companies, besides German experts, is one of the factors for the success, he said.

The courses are part of a programme called “Reform of technical and vocational education and training in Việt Nam,” which also sets occupational standards for the country, he said.

The programme is implemented by several German development agencies in close co-operation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA).

LILAMA 2 Technical and Technology College, run by the Ministry of Construction, was chosen by the Government and MoLISA to become a centre for technical and vocational education and training, he added.

In close co-operation with industry, LILAMA 2 will teach theoretical content to students and also train them in occupation-related practical skills based on the latest technologies at its state-of-the-art training centres.

Teachers and trainers of LILAMA 2 are regularly trained by German experts in technology and practically oriented training methods.

This hands-on transfer of know-how is to ensure professional utilisation of equipment in training.

This is a significant step forward to provide demand driven workforce solutions, according to Bùi Quang Hải of the Vietnam Association of Mechanical Industry.

There is a severe shortage of skilled workers and technicians with practical-oriented vocational qualifications in Việt Nam.

As the country deepens its international integration, the demand for skilled workers is steadily increasing and new technical challenges emerge.

LILAMA 2 has co-operated with the German Development Cooperation focusing on four occupations: construction mechanics technician, industrial electronics technician, metal cutting-computer numeric control technician, and mechatronics technician.

The programme includes inter-related fields of activities at different levels, including technical and vocational education and training (TVET) policy, advice and systemic reforms, support for centres of excellence for TVET, and TVET for skilled workers in wastewater treatment.

VNS