Practical barriers
Human resources are a central factor in determining a country's capacity for innovation and mastery of science and technology. This role is even more important in the semiconductor industry, as semiconductor technology is foundational to the development of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things, automation, biomedical electronics, defence, and other fields.
Viet Nam needs at least 50,000 university graduates and higher-level personnel by 2030 to gradually participate more deeply in the global supply chain. At present, the available workforce meets only about 20% of actual demand. Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Huu Hieu, Rector of the University of Science and Technology under the University of Da Nang, said that human resources are lacking not only in quantity but also in quality, particularly in regard to personnel capable of participating across the entire value chain, from design and manufacturing to testing. While demand from businesses is increasing, the number of students receiving specialised training remains limited, and there is still a considerable gap between training programmes and actual production. These limitations stem from various causes, notably a shortage of lecturers with extensive practical experience and modern facilities and equipment for training.
Viet Nam needs at least 50,000 university graduates and higher-level personnel by 2030 to gradually participate more deeply in the global supply chain. At present, the available workforce meets only about 20% of actual demand.
According to Prof. Dr. Tran Dai Lam, Head of the Institute of Materials Science under the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, the biggest challenge today is not a lack of learners but a shortage of lecturers with international-level expertise capable of providing leadership. Semiconductor technology requires in-depth knowledge of integrated circuit design, manufacturing technology, and new materials, with close links to production practices and pioneering research worldwide. In addition, professors and scientists working in Viet Nam's public-sector system currently earn only about 500-800 USD per month, far below the levels in Singapore (about 7,000 USD), the Republic of Korea (5,000 USD), or Germany and the US (about 12,000 USD per month). This gap makes it increasingly difficult to attract and retain leading experts and top talent, as well as to encourage Vietnamese experts working overseas and international experts to return or come to Viet Nam for long-term work.
Semiconductor training is also still heavily theoretical, with insufficient links to businesses and actual production. Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Tan Tran Minh Khang, Rector of the University of Information Technology under Viet Nam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, noted that the semiconductor industry has three important stages: chip design, chip manufacturing, and chip packaging and testing. In chip design, the gap between training and industrial demand has narrowed considerably. However, in manufacturing and packaging and testing, training remains heavily theoretical, with limited links to businesses and actual production.
Renewing training
Viet Nam is forecast to need between 20,000 and 50,000 integrated circuit and semiconductor engineers over the next five years, requiring training institutions to make substantial changes. They can no longer continue operating under a linear, closed model but need to adopt a more flexible approach. Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Van Dang, Rector of the University of Science under Thai Nguyen University, said each training institution should identify its own direction and priority fields based on its existing strengths.
Universities need to expand substantive cooperation with major technology corporations through a co-designed curriculum model: linking training with internships at factories and setting learning outcomes according to businesses' requirements; standardising textbooks in line with international standards; and improving students' capacity for international integration. In particular, students and lecturers should be given opportunities to directly participate in solving technological problems arising from actual orders placed by high-tech businesses. The University of Science is implementing this approach through training models aligned with international standards and market demand.
In addition, training programmes are designed to closely follow the human-resource demands of major industrial complexes in the region, notably Sunny Opotech Group's 260 USD million prefabricated module manufacturing project in Thai Nguyen and Samsung Group's manufacturing ecosystem in Viet Nam. Close links between universities and businesses ensure that training programmes are continuously updated in line with practical requirements, creating a workforce capable of immediately joining high-tech production lines and narrowing the gap between training and market demand.
From another perspective, Assoc. Prof., Dr. Le My Ha, Head of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronics at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH), said the university provides training across various stages of the semiconductor value chain, from integrated circuit design to chip testing and packaging. It has also established a cooperation network with more than 1,600 businesses and diversified activities, including business-focused seminars, field trips, internships, research cooperation, equipment and software sponsorship, and co-organisation of academic competitions. This model helps students gain timely access to real-world production environments and better meet the requirements of the semiconductor industry.
According to Assoc. Prof., Dr. Nguyen Van Quynh, Head of the Faculty of Advanced Materials Science and Nano Technology at the University of Science and Technology of Ha Noi, in the current context, universities should not only train human resources but also become centres of innovation and technology transfer. To achieve this, the “State-University-Business-Research Institute” cooperation model needs to be strongly promoted, with businesses taking a deeply involved role in building training programmes, supporting research, and developing students' professional skills.
Assoc. Prof., Dr. Ngo Nhu Khoa, Rector of the University of Technology under Thai Nguyen University, said the state needs to establish a mechanism for commissioning training programmes, with strict criteria for managing the quality of learning outcomes, ensuring “clear people, clear tasks, clear results, clear responsibilities, clear products, and clear authority.”
