Opportunity to improve living standards, develop high-quality workforce

Facing the prospect of becoming a centrally governed city, Dong Nai is not only tasked with accelerating infrastructure development but is also under mounting pressure in education, healthcare, human resources, and social welfare.

Nguyen Son Hung, former Vice Chairman of Dong Nai provincial People’s Committee

According to Nguyen Son Hung, former Vice Chairman of Dong Nai provincial People’s Committee, to truly become a regional-level urban area, the province must shift from its traditional advantage of low-cost labor to development driven by high-quality human resources and improved living standards.

Dong Nai Newspaper and Radio, Television conducted an interview with Nguyen Son Hung to gain deeper insights into this issue.

According to the announcement of the second conference of the 14th Party Central Committee, the Party Central Committee agreed in principle to establish Dong Nai as a centrally governed city. How did you feel upon hearing this news?

Although I have been retired for some time, every step of Dong Nai’s development still brings me a special feeling. Upon hearing that the Party Central Committee had approved the policy to establish Dong Nai as a centrally governed city, I felt truly happy, proud, and deeply moved.

A corner of Tran Bien ward, the central urban area of Dong Nai.

I’m happy because this is a significant milestone, a “historic turning point” that reflects the Central Government’s recognition of the long-standing efforts made by the Party Committee, authorities, and people of Dong Nai.

Dong Nai has established the foundations of a large, multi-centered and multi-functional development space. Its level of regional connectivity is also notably high. Therefore, the establishment of a centrally governed Dong Nai City is not merely a change in administrative designation, but rather a major shift in development and governance models. It is expected to elevate Dong Nai from a major industrial province to a regional urban hub capable of coordinating development space, linking infrastructure, allocating resources, and driving growth across the region. This has long been the shared aspiration of the local Party Committee, authorities, and people.

After overseeing socio-cultural sectors for many years, which areas do you believe should be prioritized for Dong Nai to achieve sustainable and substantive growth?

In my view, there are three key pillars that must be advanced alongside economic and urban infrastructure development.

First, it is education and training. For many years, the “low-cost labor” model has no longer been a magnet for both domestic and foreign investors. In reality, enterprises are facing a shortage of skilled, well-trained, and highly qualified workers. Therefore, Dong Nai needs strategic solutions to develop a highly skilled workforce.

Engineers and workers at Toshiba Vietnam plant in Amata Industrial Park (IP), Long Binh ward, assemble motor sensor coils. Photo: Thanh Nam

The second most important sector is healthcare. As Dong Nai continues to grow rapidly, pressure on the healthcare system is increasing significantly. However, people today not only need access to medical services but also demand high-quality, fast, and convenient healthcare. Accordingly, the province should continue upgrading hospitals, developing specialized medical services, and focusing on training and attracting highly qualified doctors and medical personnel. In addition, strengthening preventive healthcare and primary care is essential to reduce the burden on higher-level facilities, moving toward a modern and smart healthcare system.

Third, it is about culture, tourism, and the spiritual well-being of residents. A developed urban area is not measured solely by economic growth or infrastructure scale, but also by cultural enjoyment, living environment, and residents’ satisfaction. Dong Nai holds considerable potential in eco-tourism, cultural, and historical tourism. With proper investment, these sectors can both drive economic growth and enhance the spiritual life of the people. Moreover, attention should be given to building cultural institutions, public spaces, and developing urban areas in a civilized, green, clean, and beautiful manner so that residents can truly feel improvements in their quality of life.

You just mentioned that Dong Nai can no longer rely on low-cost labor. In your opinion, how can the province create a breakthrough in workforce quality?

It is true that Dong Nai has developed strongly over the years thanks to its ability to attract a large number of unskilled workers for industrial parks. However, the context has now changed, as business requirements are increasingly higher, particularly in technology, services, and logistics sectors. The issue is no longer about training more workers, but about training the right ones to meet actual demand.

This means that colleges and universities must undergo substantial changes, shifting toward practical, in-depth training closely aligned with enterprise needs and the labor market.

Especially in the era of Industry 4.0, where science, technology, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence are rapidly reshaping the labor market, the demand for high-quality human resources is becoming more stringent. Therefore, education and training must move one step ahead, focusing not only on current needs but also on future market demands.

In parallel, appropriate policies are needed to attract high-quality talent, particularly engineers, experts, doctors, and outstanding teachers, in order to build a core workforce for development. Human resources remain the decisive factor in the province’s overall growth strategy.

To become a livable urban area, how should Dong Nai develop tourism in a distinctive way without blending in with neighboring localities?

Dong Nai possesses a wide range of eco-tourism sites, river-based tourism, as well as historical and cultural relics. However, these potentials have yet to be fully leveraged to attract visitors.

I hope that once transport infrastructure is completed, especially when Long Thanh International Airport becomes operational, new opportunities for tourism development will emerge. Even so, to achieve real effectiveness, Dong Nai needs to reposition itself on Vietnam’s tourism map by diversifying products and accelerating digital transformation.

Dong Nai is home to numerous historical relics, offering strong potential for historical and educational tourism. In this regard, traditional approaches should be renewed by combining historical experiences with modern technology covering sound, lighting, and 3D mapping, making historical narratives more vivid, accessible, and engaging.

Furthermore, the digitalization of historical-cultural relic sites, traditional festivals, craft villages, and local cuisine should be promoted. Leveraging digital platforms such as websites, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube will help reach diverse visitor segments, particularly younger audiences and international tourists, who increasingly seek travel information and experiences through digital channels.

By B.Nhan – Translated by M.Nguyet, Thu Ha