High-skilled workforce embraces "golden opportunity" in new era

The Long Thanh International Airport (airport) project is entering the final countdown to completion, opening up many opportunities for Dong Nai's industries and sectors to make breakthroughs, including high-tech vocational training. This occasion is a historic opportunity for the province's network of universities and colleges to shift their strategic focus toward high-level vocational training, especially in new fields.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh meets with highly skilled engineers operating Nhon Trach 3 and Nhon Trach 4 Power Plants (at Ong Keo Industrial Park, Dai Phuoc Commune). Photo: Cong Nghia

Nguyen Khanh Cuong, Rector of Lilama 2 International College of Technology (in Long Phuoc Commune), shared: "Never before have we seen such wide-open opportunities to train high-skilled human resources as now. We have received many 'orders' to train and supply human resources for large enterprises, especially those related to the aviation industry."

Opportunities for skilled young people

A leader of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) said: Long Thanh Airport is opening up thousands of diverse job opportunities for skilled young workers, with priority given to workers from Dong Nai. The airport not only needs pilots and flight attendants, but also a substantial technical and logistics workforce, including technicians, aircraft maintenance engineers, aviation telecommunications and electronics engineers, airport equipment repair workers, aviation security staff, passenger service staff, and terminal equipment operators.

Thong Nhat A High School (in Trang Bom Commune) guides students towards technical and technological fields by enhancing STEM education experiences. Photo: Cong Nghia

Not stopping there, Dong Nai is determined to pursue establishing a free trade zone associated with Long Thanh Airport. Therefore, logistics workers also have many high-quality job opportunities in positions such as warehouse management, dispatch, information technology, customs procedures, import-export of goods, goods inspection, and many other accompanying services. In addition, many new-generation high-tech industrial parks were launched in late 2025 and are expected to soon welcome investors in fields such as electronics, electric vehicles, semiconductor microchips, artificial intelligence (AI), and others.

Anticipating Dong Nai's potential opportunities in the new era, in 2025, Coherent Group (USA) put into operation a semiconductor plant in Nhon Trach 1 Industrial Park, Dong Nai province, with a total investment of 127 million USD. The plant specializes in producing silicon carbide substrates, glass, and advanced optical devices, and plays a key role in expanding capacity in silicon carbide and optics. These are essential elements for transforming industrial systems, high-speed communications, and data center infrastructure. In addition, Coherent Group is moving forward with investment in 3 other projects in Nhon Trach 1 and 2 Industrial Parks.

Engineers operate Nhon Trach 3 and 4 Gas Power Plants at Ong Keo Industrial Park, Dai Phuoc Commune, the first modern gas power plant in Vietnam. Photo: Cong Nghia

Nguyen Minh Man, General Director of Coherent Vietnam, said: "Coherent's operation of the factory in Dong Nai is an important step in its strategy to diversify its global presence, enhance supply chain resilience, and get closer to customers and emerging markets. This undertaking is also part of the vision to build regional centers, integrate advanced technological capabilities, and enable the effective exploitation of Vietnam's dynamic human resources and rapidly developing semiconductor industrial ecosystem. Along with building high-tech factories, Coherent Vietnam will be associated with training high-quality local human resources, playing an important role in ensuring stable and efficient operations."

In the new era, high-quality human resources are considered the "golden key" determining the speed and quality of Dong Nai's economic growth. This project is the core platform for the province to effectively exploit the Long Thanh Airport Project and seize the wave of high-tech and semiconductor investment. Preparing this workforce well is creating a sustainable competitive advantage that elevates Dong Nai to a regional level.

Meanwhile, Provincial Party Committee member, Secretary of the Party Committee, and Chairman of Long Thanh Commune People's Council Nguyen Huu Nguyen stated: With synchronous and modern infrastructure, especially Long Thanh Airport, and soon a free trade zone associated with the airport and seaport, and a high-tech industrial park, highly skilled labor is indispensable. Therefore, the commune is directing schools in the area to promote career orientation for students. If this work is done well, the young generation of Long Thanh commune in particular and the Long Thanh region in general can live and prosper in their homeland, instead of having to go elsewhere to find jobs.

Building a new training strategy

Le Nu Thuy Duong, Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors cum General Director of KN Holdings Group, said: "Our group has just launched two large-scale new-generation industrial parks in Dong Nai, namely Bau Can - Tan Hiep Industrial Park (in Bau Can and Tan Hiep communes) and Xuan Que - Song Nhan Industrial Park in Xuan Que commune. It is estimated that when operational, Bau Can - Tan Hiep Industrial Park alone will need up to 50,000 workers, 40% of whom will be engineers. Therefore, right from the project's inception, we had to immediately consider the issue of supplying high-quality human resources to investors."

Instead of waiting for businesses to come to them, since 2021, Lilama 2 International College of Technology has proactively "knocked on the doors" of many large enterprises in the aviation sector, including ACV, Vietjet Air, and Saigon Ground Services Joint Stock Company (SAGS), to train aviation personnel. This initiative is a shortcut to provide human resources for Long Thanh Airport. The school's principal, Nguyen Khanh Cuong, said: "To date, we have the first batches of aviation students who have been trained and are preparing to graduate. In addition, many students from the school's mechatronics and electronics departments also "conquered" job opportunities even when Long Thanh Airport was still under construction."

With nearly 30 years of history, Lac Hong University (in Tran Bien ward) is also striving to innovate to capitalize on opportunities in Dong Nai province and the Southeast region. Accordingly, the university is investing synchronously in training programs, faculty, and facilities to meet ASEAN regional standards, with many majors achieving US standards. The university has become a partner of the University of Arizona (USA) and many universities in the region, thanks to which more and more lecturers and students are sent abroad for high-level training.

Students of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Lac Hong University practice on programming equipment. Photo: Cong Nghia

Associate Professor Dr. Lam Thanh Hien, Rector of Lac Hong University, said: The university is focusing resources on investing in training equipment, including semiconductor microchips, robotics, information technology, AI, logistics, electric vehicle technology, and automation mechanics. Rather than training on whatever is available, the university has built close links with businesses across various fields to expand students' opportunities to gain practical experience. In particular, the university is stepping up technology transfer to businesses, including many FDI enterprises.

According to Le Truong Son, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Dong Nai has conducted research and issued a forecast of the province's labor demand in the coming years. Based on that, the province is decisively reorganizing the system of training institutions into a streamlined structure that is more effective and efficient. At the same time, the province is calling for more domestic and even foreign universities to invest in opening training facilities in Dong Nai to supply labor to the locality. Currently, some units, such as Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport, Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and Ho Chi Minh City Open University, are promoting the rollout of training in Dong Nai.

Dr. Dang Anh Tuan, Vice Rector in charge of Dong Nai University, stated: The 1st Dong Nai Provincial Party Congress, 2025-2030 term, has determined that by 2030, Dong Nai University will become a high-quality human resource training institution for the province. Therefore, the university is focusing on reviewing and attracting highly qualified lecturers, opening new training programs, and strengthening cooperation with businesses in training. In addition, the university is considering opening a campus in Binh Phuoc ward to train human resources for the northern part of the province.

After the merger, Dong Nai province has 4 universities and 2 university campuses offering multi-disciplinary training. In addition, the province also has 10 vocational colleges. The new enrollment capacity of training institutions in Dong Nai is approximately 10,000 students annually.

By Cong Nghia – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho