According to a report released by a project implemented by Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and with  support  from  UNICEF  during  the  period  2019-2021, employers face many difficulties finding young workers who possess the  in-demand  skills, especially soft skills. The skill-gaps in  the  labor  market  hamper  youth employability. Most notably, the assessment even reveals that many young people in Viet Nam are not aware of the necessary employability skills to embrace chances for their professional life.

To address this problem, the USAID Partnership for Higher Education Reform (USAID PHER) project has launched Career Skill Courses developed by Indiana University (IU)-USA delivered through the IU Expand platform to more than 100 students from Vietnam National University-Hanoi (VNU-HN); 54 of those participants received certificates of completion from Indiana University and USAID PHER.

The courses support students in building a foundation for their future career paths and aim to help students gain an edge in career development.  The program helps students explore their values, strengths, and interests in relation to degrees and career.

Nghiem Tung Linh, a sophomore student at VNU-HN attending a course on Teamwork and Collaboration, shared that “This lesson is a useful opportunity for me to gain more knowledge and skills that can help me in the future. I could boost my confidence to learn and apply these new skills to my abilities to take on challenges and expand my skills.”

In addition, the course aims to give students mastery of  communication, presentation, and collaboration skills to position them to work successfully in cross-functional teams, demonstrate leadership, and take initiative in their eventual workplaces. It is believed that soft skills not only increase the chances of employability but also boost overall personality development for our graduates.

Quach Trong Duc, a senior student at VNU-HN shared: “The course on Communication & Presentation is very impressive because it teaches me how to communicate through emails, which will be important for my future job ”.

Bui Duy Duc, a sophomore student attending the Soft Skill Course Leadership and Initiative, shared that he has used the knowledge and skills from the course when working together in class, and it works. “The course also helps shape my future career pathway. My possible future jobs will be related to leadership because that could connect people, find out solutions when working within a team”, Duy Duc shared.

“I have taken advantage of the courses. Firstly, they are self-paced, meaning we can access them whenever we like and complete the courses on whatever schedule works for us. Secondly, it is accessible for students as it is free of charge”, Trong Duc added. “I hope the courses will include coaching and mentorship, as it’s more interactive and lively than looking at text and videos on my laptop”, Duy Duc shared.

According to Dr. Tran The Nu, Vice Dean of Faculty of Accounting and Auditing, University of Economics & Business (VNU-UEB), after attending the courses, students are much more confident in their communication and presentation skills and show stronger analytical thinking and problem-solving skills.  “Thanks to the support of USAID and Indiana University in organizing this activity, our students have significantly improved their soft skills. I hope that this course will be extended to other universities, as it will benefit not only the students themselves but also society”, Dr Nu said.

After the launch at VNU-UEB, these courses will be delivered to other member universities at VNU-HN as well as those at VNU-HCMC and The University of Da Nang. Throughout the transformation of higher education institutions in Vietnam, USAID PHER aims to help build a pool of talent with career skills that are in demand by local employers and develop the workforce needed for a successful economy.