Focus on high-skilled workforce training

Dong Nai is positioned to seize major opportunities for breakthrough development, thanks to its high-quality transportation infrastructure. It is forecast that the wave of investment in high-tech industries in the province is expected to rise sharply in the coming period, driven by the operation of Long Thanh International Airport and the planned construction of several new-generation industrial zones.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shakes hands to encourage young officials overseeing the construction of Long Thanh International Airport during his working visit to the project on August 2, 2025. Photo: Cong Nghia

However, the issue of quantity and quality of the workforce, particularly in a range of emerging technology sectors such as information technology, semiconductor chips, aviation, and logistics, has not been adequately addressed, which could significantly affect the province’s development opportunities.

Policy must be accompanied by action

For many years, Dong Nai province has shifted its investment attraction model, both domestic and foreign, toward a selective approach. The province has rejected investors who use outdated technology, labor-intensive assembly or processing, and projects that are harmful to the environment. Instead, it “welcomes” projects with high technological content, high added value, low labor intensity, and environmental friendliness. The province’s investment attraction strategy in the new period was reaffirmed at the 1st Congress of the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term, aiming for high growth linked with green and sustainable development.

“The demand for high-skilled labor among businesses in the province is substantial and expected to rise sharply in the coming years. However, information on which sectors are experiencing labor shortages and the severity of those shortages remains inaccessible to high schools, students, and parents, making it difficult to guide career orientation. Therefore, the province needs to forecast the demand for high-quality labor with reasonable accuracy, providing a foundation for students to build confidence and motivation in choosing appropriate career paths.”

Dr. NGUYEN KHANH CUONG, Principal of Lilama 2 Technology International College

To successfully shift the investment attraction model toward new trends, beyond issues of infrastructure and policy mechanisms, the availability of high-quality human resources to support stable and efficient business operations plays a crucial role. This challenge is also a significant concern for high-tech investors when evaluating and considering the necessary factors to choose an investment location. On the other hand, promoting the attraction of high-tech investment is not only aimed at increasing budget revenues but also at creating jobs for local people. Therefore, without a sufficient supply of high-quality workers, especially in emerging fields, achieving comprehensive development will be extremely difficult.

Professor Ha Hun Koo, former Dean of Logistics at the Asia Pacific School of Logistics under Inha University, one of South Korea’s leading universities, had advised the province on human-resource training right from the early stages of planning Long Thanh Airport. Professor Ha Hun Koo noted that once a major airport is valuable, Dong Nai will have vast opportunities to attract emerging industries such as semiconductor technology, chip manufacturing, aviation, logistics, and biotechnology. These sectors all generate very high added value, but they are also highly selective, relying almost entirely on a workforce with advanced professional qualifications.

At a recent working session between the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee and the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City on the content of development consulting cooperation for the 2025-2030 period, comrade Le Truong Son, Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee, emphasized the importance of the province’s strategy for training a high-quality workforce. Accordingly, the province hopes that the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City will conduct research and provide advice on solutions, mechanisms, and policies that can encourage universities and colleges to participate more deeply in the training process, thereby helping Dong Nai develop a high-quality workforce, especially in key sectors.

No time to lose

Even before Long Thanh Airport begins operations, right from the outset of construction, the contractor of this “billion-dollar megaproject” has already struggled to fill numerous high-level project management positions. As Long Thanh Airport moves closer to its operational phase, the Long Thanh Airport Recruitment Council is facing considerable challenges in hiring its operations workforce. The council has had to extend the application period for a second time across a series of positions that offer attractive salaries but require high qualifications and strong professional skills.

Several foreign investors in the high-tech sector have already come to Dong Nai in search of new investment opportunities, including companies in the semiconductor industry. For example, the US-based Coherent Corporation began exploring investment opportunities in Dong Nai in 2023, and by 2024, the Provincial People’s Committee had issued investment certificates for its three high-tech projects. Among them, the first semiconductor manufacturing plant has already commenced operations at Nhon Trach 1 Industrial Park. For the remaining two projects, the group is continuing initial investment steps, promising to begin operations soon.

According to experts and scientists, the province’s strategy to attract high-tech capital flows in the new period is very sound. Successfully implementing this strategy is highly significant, as it will help the province achieve double-digit economic growth in the coming years. However, to truly seize these opportunities, the province must first establish a systematic strategy for training a high-quality workforce, linked with decisive solutions and actions. Specifically, it needs to invest in and develop key training institutions for high-tech sectors, aligned with the province’s investment attraction trends. The province needs to introduce exceptional policies to attract highly qualified officials, lecturers, and scientists in high-tech fields. In addition, it is necessary to promote and strengthen the connection between training institutions and enterprises in human resource training, thereby achieving dual objectives in training, supplying, and utilizing high-quality labor.

Dr. Dang Anh Tuan, Vice Rector in charge of Dong Nai University, stated that the Resolution of the 1st Congress of the Provincial Party Committee for the 2025-2030 term determined that Dong Nai University must be a high-quality university. However, the university’s current training scale remains modest, with just over 5,000 students, mainly in education-related fields, and its facilities are still minimal. Therefore, the university is recommending that the province implement comprehensive policies regarding infrastructure and high-skilled human resources to support training, enabling the university to expand its enrollment to 15,000 students or more by 2030 and to develop new programs, including those in high-tech fields.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lam Thanh Hien, Rector of Lac Hong University, stated that the university is making efforts to accredit its programs according to ASEAN and U.S. standards while collaborating with businesses to enhance training programs and facilitate technology transfer. In addition, the university has partnered with foreign universities, including those in the U.S. and Taiwan (China), to exchange lecturers and students and to innovate its curricula. Among its key focus areas are information technology, semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence, and logistics.

By Cong Nghia - Translated by Huyen Trang, Minho