Skill-building
ASEAN economic community integration: Essential skills for workers
10/15/2015
At the end of 2015, Vietnam officially joined the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), opening up new opportunities for its workforce.
However, without adequate preparation and the necessary skills to thrive in this new era, Vietnamese workers may face the risk of being outcompeted by foreign labor within their own country—let alone succeeding in international job markets.
Creating an English-speaking environment
Beyond professional expertise, foreign language proficiency—especially in English—has become essential for Vietnamese workers to compete with their ASEAN counterparts. Additionally, soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and professional workplace etiquette are crucial for success. However, many experts have raised concerns about the foreign language proficiency of university and college students in Vietnam. Current curricula tend to focus heavily on theory while lacking practical application, leaving graduates struggling to communicate effectively in English.
Regarding this issue, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Center for Human Resource Demand Forecasting and Labor Market Information in Ho Chi Minh City, noted: "Students begin learning English in high school and continue for an additional 3-5 years in university or college, often supplementing their studies with private courses. However, language instruction remains overly focused on grammar, with limited opportunities for real-world communication. As a result, students lack confidence in speaking and hesitate to engage in conversations with native speakers. If provided with an authentic English-speaking environment, students would undoubtedly develop their language skills more effectively."
From the perspective of educational institutions, there are also significant challenges in improving students' foreign language proficiency. Mr. Nguyen Le Dinh Hai, Vice President of Nguyen Truong To College, highlighted the difficulties faced by vocational colleges: "For vocational colleges, the challenge lies in the fact that students enter with relatively low proficiency levels, and their abilities vary significantly. This makes it extremely difficult to organize effective foreign language instruction. Nevertheless, we continuously strive to ensure that graduates achieve a language proficiency level that meets labor market demands." Meanwhile, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan suggested that: "Universities and colleges should regularly invite foreign professionals to interact with students. Additionally, curricula should focus more on developing speaking and communication skills rather than being overly centered on grammar. Teachers should also adopt innovative teaching approaches, combining strong subject knowledge with effective classroom management techniques, thereby fostering an environment where students can actively engage in foreign language communication during lessons."
However, without adequate preparation and the necessary skills to thrive in this new era, Vietnamese workers may face the risk of being outcompeted by foreign labor within their own country—let alone succeeding in international job markets.
Creating an English-speaking environment
Beyond professional expertise, foreign language proficiency—especially in English—has become essential for Vietnamese workers to compete with their ASEAN counterparts. Additionally, soft skills such as teamwork, communication, and professional workplace etiquette are crucial for success. However, many experts have raised concerns about the foreign language proficiency of university and college students in Vietnam. Current curricula tend to focus heavily on theory while lacking practical application, leaving graduates struggling to communicate effectively in English.
Regarding this issue, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Center for Human Resource Demand Forecasting and Labor Market Information in Ho Chi Minh City, noted: "Students begin learning English in high school and continue for an additional 3-5 years in university or college, often supplementing their studies with private courses. However, language instruction remains overly focused on grammar, with limited opportunities for real-world communication. As a result, students lack confidence in speaking and hesitate to engage in conversations with native speakers. If provided with an authentic English-speaking environment, students would undoubtedly develop their language skills more effectively."
From the perspective of educational institutions, there are also significant challenges in improving students' foreign language proficiency. Mr. Nguyen Le Dinh Hai, Vice President of Nguyen Truong To College, highlighted the difficulties faced by vocational colleges: "For vocational colleges, the challenge lies in the fact that students enter with relatively low proficiency levels, and their abilities vary significantly. This makes it extremely difficult to organize effective foreign language instruction. Nevertheless, we continuously strive to ensure that graduates achieve a language proficiency level that meets labor market demands." Meanwhile, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan suggested that: "Universities and colleges should regularly invite foreign professionals to interact with students. Additionally, curricula should focus more on developing speaking and communication skills rather than being overly centered on grammar. Teachers should also adopt innovative teaching approaches, combining strong subject knowledge with effective classroom management techniques, thereby fostering an environment where students can actively engage in foreign language communication during lessons."
Proficiency in English is one of the key factors for students' success in the era of global integration
Gaining experience to develop a professional work ethic
In addition to foreign language proficiency, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan emphasizes the critical role of soft skills in the integration era, especially as Vietnam joins the ASEAN Economic Community. These skills go beyond communication and teamwork—they also include a professional work ethic. However, Mr. Tuấn highlights that “many workers, particularly fresh graduates, are not yet accustomed to an industrialized work environment. Their work habits remain disorganized, their discipline is lacking, and their professional conduct is underdeveloped, which often leaves employers dissatisfied. Therefore, besides acquiring life skills in the university, students should actively engage in social activities and part-time jobs to gain real-world experience and enhance their professional competencies.”
Currently, many universities, colleges, and even vocational secondary schools in Ho Chi Minh City have incorporated life skills training as part of their official curriculum. For instance, the Nam Sai Gon Technical and Professional Secondary School has established a dedicated community education department responsible for developing plans, curricula, and training programs for life skills education. These courses are integrated into the school's formal academic program. The duration of life skills training is three years (six semesters) for students enrolling after lower secondary school and 1.5 years (three semesters) for those entering after upper secondary school. Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung, President of Nam Sai Gon Technical and Professional Secondary School, stated: “Through life skills training, students have shown noticeable improvements in their self-discipline and proactive attitude towards learning and daily life. Additionally, their awareness of workplace discipline, environmental protection, and adherence to school regulations has significantly increased.”
Nguyen Truong To College has also been actively implementing life skills training for students, particularly over the past year. Mr. Nguyen Le Dinh Hai, Vice Presiden of the college, emphasized: “By the end of this year, Vietnam will have fully integrated into the ASEAN Economic Community, increasing competition between Vietnamese workers and their counterparts from other countries. Therefore, in addition to solid professional knowledge, our institution has introduced soft skills training courses for students. These courses cover specific topics such as teamwork, presentation skills, and active listening, equipping students with essential competencies for the modern workforce.”
In addition to foreign language proficiency, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan emphasizes the critical role of soft skills in the integration era, especially as Vietnam joins the ASEAN Economic Community. These skills go beyond communication and teamwork—they also include a professional work ethic. However, Mr. Tuấn highlights that “many workers, particularly fresh graduates, are not yet accustomed to an industrialized work environment. Their work habits remain disorganized, their discipline is lacking, and their professional conduct is underdeveloped, which often leaves employers dissatisfied. Therefore, besides acquiring life skills in the university, students should actively engage in social activities and part-time jobs to gain real-world experience and enhance their professional competencies.”
Currently, many universities, colleges, and even vocational secondary schools in Ho Chi Minh City have incorporated life skills training as part of their official curriculum. For instance, the Nam Sai Gon Technical and Professional Secondary School has established a dedicated community education department responsible for developing plans, curricula, and training programs for life skills education. These courses are integrated into the school's formal academic program. The duration of life skills training is three years (six semesters) for students enrolling after lower secondary school and 1.5 years (three semesters) for those entering after upper secondary school. Mr. Nguyen Tri Dung, President of Nam Sai Gon Technical and Professional Secondary School, stated: “Through life skills training, students have shown noticeable improvements in their self-discipline and proactive attitude towards learning and daily life. Additionally, their awareness of workplace discipline, environmental protection, and adherence to school regulations has significantly increased.”
Nguyen Truong To College has also been actively implementing life skills training for students, particularly over the past year. Mr. Nguyen Le Dinh Hai, Vice Presiden of the college, emphasized: “By the end of this year, Vietnam will have fully integrated into the ASEAN Economic Community, increasing competition between Vietnamese workers and their counterparts from other countries. Therefore, in addition to solid professional knowledge, our institution has introduced soft skills training courses for students. These courses cover specific topics such as teamwork, presentation skills, and active listening, equipping students with essential competencies for the modern workforce.”
Minh Châu
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