Labor in digital era – adapting to break through

PART 3: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

As one of Vietnam’s major industrial centers, Dong Nai City is entering a period of profound transformation driven by automation and digital transformation. Home to dozens of industrial parks and thousands of investment projects, the city’s workforce plays a pivotal role in local economic development.

Workers at Smart Topbank Co., Ltd. in Long Thanh Ward actively apply automation in production. Photo: Nguyen Hoa

At the same time, the new era is presenting workers with both considerable challenges and meaningful opportunities.

Opportunities for breakthroughs and skills upgrading

First and foremost, automation undeniably brings a range of positive opportunities. Smart production lines help reduce physically demanding and hazardous tasks, thereby improving working conditions and enhancing workplace safety.

Meanwhile, technological advancement is generating growing demand for highly skilled workers, particularly in machine operation, programming and automated system maintenance. This trend is creating opportunities for workers to upgrade their skills, improve their income and advance professionally.

Beyond that, technological progress is also driving the emergence and rapid growth of new occupations. Sectors such as smart manufacturing, modern logistics and digital services all require a skilled workforce. As a result, workers now have access to more diverse career pathways rather than being confined to traditional manual jobs.

After nearly a decade at Global Powersports Manufacturing Incorporation in Trang Dai Ward, Tran Thi Dieu Thu has earned recognition for her dedication, adaptability and creativity.

Her workplace initiatives have helped improve product quality within the assembly team. “When the company introduced automation into production, work became less physically demanding, giving employees more time to innovate, upgrade their skills and maximize their contributions in order to improve their income,” Thu shared.

Nguyen Van Tiep, Chairman of the grassroots Trade Union of Global Powersports Manufacturing Incorporation, said employees have shown a strong willingness to learn, embrace new thinking and adapt quickly to modern working environments as the company expands technological applications in production and business operations. According to him, such qualities are essential for improving productivity and product quality while laying the groundwork for sustainable development in the current wave of digital transformation.

Nguyen Quoc Truong, General Director of Anh Duong Irradiation Technology JSC in Long Thanh High-Tech Industrial Park (IP), said the automation era is creating a major turning point for Dong Nai’s workforce.

Although workers face risks related to job displacement and growing pressure to enhance their skills, they also have opportunities to master technology and improve their earnings. In this context, adaptability and continuous learning will be decisive factors in ensuring workers are not left behind but instead become pioneers in modern industry.

Proactive adaptation to avoid falling behind

Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, issued by the Politburo on December 22, 2024, on science and technology development, innovation and national digital transformation, clearly identifies science, technology and digital transformation as key drivers of socio-economic development. Under the resolution, digital transformation is not merely the application of technology in production and management. Rather, it represents a comprehensive shift in development approaches, moving from traditional models toward data-driven and digitally enabled systems.

According to the Department of Finance, Dong Nai is accelerating the development of three key IPs: Long Duc 3, Bau Can – Tan Hiep and Xuan Que – Song Nhan, with the aim of forming new logistics and industrial growth poles linked to Long Thanh Airport. In parallel, the commissioning of the Nhon Trach 3 and Nhon Trach 4 power plants is expected to create fresh momentum for development in Dong Nai and the broader Southeastern region. These projects have mobilized, and will continue to require, thousands of engineers and workers in mechanical engineering, electricity, construction, logistics and port operations. They are regarded as important drivers for the city’s sustainable socio-economic development in the years ahead.

Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW also underscores the central role of workers and enterprises. Consequently, the key question is not only how quickly transformation should take place, but also how it can be carried out without leaving anyone behind. The answer lies in stronger coordination between authorities and businesses in guiding, supporting and accompanying workers through the transition.

In Dong Nai, however, the expansion of automation is also bringing considerable challenges. The most pressing concern for workers is the risk of job displacement as machines increasingly replace human labor. Modern production lines are becoming more automated, from assembly and quality inspection to packaging. Repetitive, low-skill jobs are gradually being taken over by robots capable of operating faster, more accurately and at lower long-term cost. As a result, a segment of workers, particularly unskilled laborers, faces the risk of being pushed out of the labor market if they fail to adapt in time.

Another source of pressure comes from the transition toward green and sustainable development. Dong Nai is accelerating industrial “greening” through the application of modern technologies in environmental management and sustainable production. This shift requires enterprises to upgrade technology while placing new demands on workers. Employees are expected not only to possess technical expertise but also to comply with clean production standards, energy-saving practices and environmental safety requirements. Without meeting these requirements, workers risk falling behind during the transition process.

Forecasts indicate that Dong Nai City’s labor market will remain vibrant throughout 2026, with recruitment demand estimated at around 55,000 workers. Beyond demand for general labor, the need for high-quality workers, including trained personnel, technicians, engineers and managers, is expected to rise sharply, particularly in industry, construction, services, logistics and renewable energy.

According to a report by the Department of Home Affairs, although the supply of degree- and certificate-holding workers in Dong Nai has increased significantly in recent years, the quality and practical skills of the workforce remain uneven, while adaptability to real working environments is still limited.

In addition, some training programs have yet to align closely with enterprises’ production and business needs, while the proportion of graduates working in fields relevant to their training remains relatively low at around 65%. Accordingly, labor shortages across industrial parks in late 2025 were estimated at more than 36,000 workers, concentrated mainly among skilled workers and technical laborers.

At the same time, the supply of high-quality labor still falls short of the requirements of high-tech industries, particularly in digital transformation, semiconductor technology and automation, while vocational training structures remain tilted toward traditional technical fields.

Overall, the gap between labor supply and demand in the city remains substantial, especially in the segment of skilled and technical workers. This reality underscores the urgent need to adjust vocational training structures and strengthen links between educational institutions and businesses.

According to Do Nguyen Phuong, Chairman of the Trade Union of Yuen Foong Yu Paper Enterprise Dong Nai Co., Ltd. in Long Thanh Ward, automation is increasingly replacing workers in many forms of manual labor. As a result, employees must strengthen their capabilities and leverage their strengths to affirm their value in the workplace. If workers fail to upgrade themselves, they will fall behind, become redundant and face a greater risk of dismissal due to inadequate professional skills.

Meanwhile, Phan Toi Tho Hiep, Chairman of the Trade Union of Nec Tokin Electronics Vietnam Co., Ltd. in Long Binh IP, noted that workers who proactively learn, upgrade their skills and improve their digital capabilities will enjoy clear advantages. They will not only be able to maintain stable employment, but also gain access to positions offering better income and improved working conditions. For that reason, the shift toward automated manufacturing is not merely a story of technology, but also a question of sustainable human resource development in the new era.

Based on production realities and market demand, businesses believe workers in Dong Nai must take the initiative in learning, upgrading their skills and remaining ready for career transitions in order to adapt to the automation era. Delayed adaptation could expose workers to the risk of unemployment or falling behind professionally. When each worker becomes a resilient “digital link” in the production chain, enterprises will operate more efficiently and the economy will be better positioned for sustainable growth in the digital age.

By N.Hoa, T.Ngoc – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha