Career orientation workshop for students was jointly organized by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), the southern branch; Confederation of Norwegian Enterprises (NHO); Dong Nai Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA) and some vocational colleges, vocational training schools, high schools. The workshop attracted the attention of many schools, students’ parents since it can assist them in shaping the career route to suit with their students and children, respectively.
Many contributing ideas in the workshop indicate that pupils should be provided with a standard document and vocational guide at the schools to choose the suitable jobs and to avoid the waste in training, etc.
Fostering passion
Mr. Kurt Nilsen, representative of NHO said that: in Norway, pupils are oriented to choose their career when they are studying at secondary schools. Meanwhile, children are educated about working skills, about how to recognize their own ability, capacity and expectation in 100 classes. In addition, they are also taught how to explore themselves in their ambient environment by on-site visits to manufacturing units to consider whether they have suitable ability and passion for the job or not. Thereby, they will be interested in job-related subjects without illusion, and they will not choose “wrong occupation” when they go on to university or vocational school.
According to Mr. Kurt, when students witness the real life, they will be motivated to study harder and will be filled more passion for scientific research. He took an example, in a NHO survey on small groups of students from European countries and Asian nations; it is shown that European students are very good at specific subjects, but not good at general subjects. In contrast, Asian students are excellent at general subjects but not excellent at specialist subjects. Therefore, students should be equipped with career guide to prevent them from being illusive on the job and to truly inspire them on their chosen career path. It also reduces the pressure on businesses to re-train their new staffs after recruitment.
Mr. Phung Trong Hieu, the advisor of VCCI career orientation project for students said that a standard document is needed to foster passion for students. This document focuses on vocational guide for students at the beginning stage, so students will be passionate other than illusive about their career choice.
Mr. Hieu added that five basic contents to be included in this document to assist pupils in attaining management and career development skills when they are at schools. In particular, teachers of secondary and high schools must be actively involved in teaching these skills.
Career choice when being pupils
In the VCCI and NHO sponsored apprenticeship-oriented project for secondary and high school pupils will implemented pilot in Dong Nai during the last six months of 2014, the most important step is to form the standard document guiding pupils to choose career. Mr. Phung Trong Hieu stated that the document includes these following contents: learning and exploring the personal ability and preferences of pupils (pupils self-discover their ability, characteristics to pursue a career with the assistance of their teachers); the vocational as well as academic training (pupils are helped to answer three questions: firstly, what they like, what they can do and can do well; secondly, which field is suitable with family conditions or their families’ relationship; and thirdly, vocational training or academic training is their real passion). In addition to these above two contents, students must learn more through hands-on experience in real life as well as find out more about labor market. Competent departments such as DOLISA should participate in this step by providing information on labor market for pupils to learn and decide on the right career path. They also have to organize job fair in vocational schools where students can join and expose to businesses and labor market, so that learners can work as internships at enterprises or received jobs right after graduation.
Representative of Dong Nai Vocational College, teacher Pham Hong Phuong, vice principal said that the standard document on skills training is essential, but who is the composer and which criteria is based on to implement in schools. For Dong Nai Vocational College, not only do the school leaders focus on training quality but they also contact businesses to organize job fair day in the campus at the end of each semester for learners to share with enterprises and look for the suitable job. So each year, the ratio of fresh graduates having jobs attains over 85%.
Many schools hold the same opinions such as: Long Thanh - Nhon Trach Vocational School, Vocational College no. 8, Lilama II, Economics – Engineering vocational school no. 2 and many other vocational colleges. They want to know which department or agency will compose the document on skills training because this standard document need being checked and evaluated prior to being applied synchronously. Mrs. Ngo Thi Minh Phuc, Vice Principal of Phuoc Thien High School said that: career-oriented project for students is very essential and a standard document is required to facilitate the project’s implementation. Since each school now still has its own curriculum to teach skills for students.
Mr. Hieu, the project’s advisor said that there will be two working groups in the short-term. One group is in charge of compiling documents on the basis of students’ demand survey whereas another team is responsible for counseling (with the participation of related departments, agencies and organizations). The two groups will work together during implementation period of the project.
Connect learners to enterprises
Mr. Le Anh Duc, Principal of Long Thanh - Nhon Trach Vocational College, stated that project objectives are defined to go with the aspirations of vocational training units. The important issue is to connect students to enterprises in order that schools can offer the best training products for businesses, cut down on cost, time spent by students and spent for retraining in businesses.