Vocational schools should not only impart technical skills but also pay attention to inculcating work ethics, adaptation skills and love for the vocation in its students, experts said at a workshop last Friday.
HCM CITY —
They said this would help develop an "occupational culture" that would promote stable development of vocational training in the country.
Nguyen Thi Hang, chairwoman of the Viet Nam Vocational Training Association, said that occupational culture would be a factor in building a brand name for Vietnamese labour, making it more valuable in the international market, and would also help develop high-quality human resources for the country.
Vocational schools should, therefore, find suitable ways to foster occupational culture in their educational system so that both teachers and students adopt and foster it, Hang said.
The Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Dr. Dam Huu Dac, said in a communique sent to the workshop that Vietnamese workers were known for being creative and diligent.
But the lack of occupational culture is manifest in their working attitude and style, he said, adding they do not put heart and soul into the work they do.
Dac said that besides students, occupational culture should be instilled in young people residing in rural and mountainous areas.
It is also necessary to make local authorities understand the importance of this concept, experts said at the workshop.
Dr Luong Ngoc Toan, former deputy minister of Education and Training, said society should accord greater recognition for vocational training as well as occupational culture in order to develop a highly skilled human resource base in the country.
He said vocational training was not a matter of first choice for most students. They opted for it only when they failed to gain admission into universities by passing the entrance exams.
"Parents themselves do not want their children to opt for vocational training, and this creates added pressure on students to choose to sit for university entrance exams regardless of their interest and aptitude," he added.
"This has led to a situation where there are many Masters degree holders while there is a shortage of skilled workers," he said.
Toan noted that the number of universities and colleges in Viet Nam was getting higher and higher while that of vocational schools was limited.
It was very important to bring out an attitudinal change towards vocational training, and this should happen within the family at first, he said.
The State should also commend and honour families and villages with a workforce that demonstrates a strong occupational culture, encouraging others to follow suit, he said. — VNS