Maritime industry faces labour shortage
Vietnam Maritime University raised concerns over the labour shortage looming in the maritime sector in Vietnam.
Pham Xuan Duong, vice head of Vietnam Maritime University said Vietnam had to mainly employ people from overseas while the government announced that developing maritime industry was a key task. He went on to say that the recruitment quota is decreasing year on year and there may be no one else left to hire in the future. In 2009, 400 students enrolled in the marine engineering department but in 2018, there were only 41.
Pham Van Thuan from Vietnam Maritime University's Training Department said young people were not keen as working at sea was a hard job, risky and far from home and loved ones. But moreover, the starting salaries were lower than in neighbouring countries.
Vietnamese employees are paid VND10m (USD430) a month while the wages in China is VND14-15m and VND30-40m in Japan and South Korea.
"High school graduates can find more opportunities at industrial zones and they don't need long training courses," Thuan said.
Firms were asked to work with universities to train and recruit employees. Thuan said firms could sponsor students in their studies in return to work commitments once they graduated. The university could recruit students at the firm's request under the condition that the student's high school graduation exam results or scores at school meet requirements.
Hoang Van Duong, director of Alliance JSC, said, "We've actively co-operated with Vietnam Maritime University to give financial assistance to the students as we realised that we'll face a severe labour shortage in near future."
Duong Ngoc Tu, deputy head of Vinaship, said they had to actively recruit employees and send them to training courses. They were willing to sponsor the students but wanted to make clear how strong the commitment to the company are.
According to Tu, Vietnam Maritime University must step up in the promotion process and reaffirm their role as a university that specialised in maritime industries because 70% of their curriculum is now focused on other economic sectors.
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Pham Xuan Duong, vice head of Vietnam Maritime University said Vietnam had to mainly employ people from overseas while the government announced that developing maritime industry was a key task. He went on to say that the recruitment quota is decreasing year on year and there may be no one else left to hire in the future. In 2009, 400 students enrolled in the marine engineering department but in 2018, there were only 41.
Pham Van Thuan from Vietnam Maritime University's Training Department said young people were not keen as working at sea was a hard job, risky and far from home and loved ones. But moreover, the starting salaries were lower than in neighbouring countries.
Vietnamese employees are paid VND10m (USD430) a month while the wages in China is VND14-15m and VND30-40m in Japan and South Korea.
"High school graduates can find more opportunities at industrial zones and they don't need long training courses," Thuan said.
Firms were asked to work with universities to train and recruit employees. Thuan said firms could sponsor students in their studies in return to work commitments once they graduated. The university could recruit students at the firm's request under the condition that the student's high school graduation exam results or scores at school meet requirements.
Hoang Van Duong, director of Alliance JSC, said, "We've actively co-operated with Vietnam Maritime University to give financial assistance to the students as we realised that we'll face a severe labour shortage in near future."
Duong Ngoc Tu, deputy head of Vinaship, said they had to actively recruit employees and send them to training courses. They were willing to sponsor the students but wanted to make clear how strong the commitment to the company are.
According to Tu, Vietnam Maritime University must step up in the promotion process and reaffirm their role as a university that specialised in maritime industries because 70% of their curriculum is now focused on other economic sectors.
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