Vietnamese workers are facing numerous challenges while international integration increases. They have to change their mindset and improve their working skills to meet the demand of the 4th Industrial Revolution and new Free Trade Agreements.

Workers need to improve themselves to meet strict requirements concerning quality of goods and services as Vietnam embraces the 4th Industrial Revolution and new-generation FTAs including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement on Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told a meeting with high-tech workers in Ho Chi Minh City last year “Development should depend on productivity, science and technology rather than on capital and cheap labor. Tech workers play an important role in the workforce because they can acquire new technologies of the 4th Industrial Revolution and the digital economy.”

Vietnam has promulgated policies and strategies to adapt to Industry 4.0 and effectively implement free trade agreements, creating an important legal foundation for fundamental changes in the workforce.

Phan Anh Hay, who has worked for UNILEVER Vietnam Company for more than 10 years, said “We need to innovate technologies and promote automation, digitization, and optimization and use new-generation robots to reduce costs and increase productivity. This will create a workforce of high-tech workers. The government needs to encourage enterprises to invest more in high technology, recruit high-tech workers, and organize vocational training to help workers master modern production technologies.”

Vietnamese workers have gradually mastered advanced technologies including 5G technology, the foundation of the 4th Industrial Revolution. They have been able to manufacture high-tech products of international standards. The proportion of workers with high qualifications in science and technology has increased steadily. 

By signing new-generation free trade agreements with Vietnam and moving factories and production lines to the country, major economic groups have shown their appreciation for Vietnam’s potential and workforce.