Int’l seminar discusses building international skills partnership

Bringing the Learning Home brings together major industry representatives, including Microsoft, Rolls-Royce Vietnam, Intel Vietnam, Ford South Africa, IDG Ventures Vietnam and Viglacera. Attending representatives from leading vocational training institutions from UK and the region such as People 1st, ProSkills UK, SEAMEO VOCTECH (The Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Vocational and Technical Education) present on their roles in improving the quality of vocational training.

In addition, national and international vocational training institutions and policy makers shared new ideas for skills development and share perspectives on global skills development.

Cherry Gough, Country Director of the British Council Vietnam, said the development of the skills needed for young people to succeed in a highly competitive employment market is a vitally important factor in ensuring national prosperity and security in the 21st century.  This seminar brings together employers, educators and experts in international education, from a diverse range of countries including Egypt, the Philippines, Brunei and South Africa.

They shared experiences of international partnerships in the UK and other countries, and have the opportunity to plan new, exciting international collaborations designed to improve the employment prospects of young people in vocational education and training in Vietnam, the UK and worldwide.

Duong Duc Lan, Head of Vocational Training General Division, said the world economy is now facing an imbalance in supply and demand of skilled labour force. In Vietnam, this challenge is even clearer when the proportion of young population and population of a working age keeps increasing but has limited skills and labour productivity.

Skills training and education, assessment and recognition are priority objectives in the national strategy for workforce, educational and vocational development towards 2020. In this context, the seminar brings opportunities for partners and stakeholders to meet and discusses effective and sustainable cooperation of vocational training and skills development, Lan said.

As part of Bringing the Learning Home, the General Department of Vocational Training, British Council in Vietnam and online newspaper VNExpress announced winners of the 21st Century Skills’ Photo Contest. The contest attracted 253 entries and approximately 10 million viewers with the message "Choose vocational training to develop the country and look towards the future".