Polytechnic University opens urban railway major to train human resources for metro

The first urban railway training field will enroll students in September 2026, with majors such as railway information and signaling, metro construction engineering, locomotives and train cars...

Dr. Nguyen Minh Khoa - Faculty of Transport Engineering - University of Technology (Ho Chi Minh City National University), said that the University of Technology plans to open a new major in Urban Railways under the Faculty of Transport Engineering, to train human resources for this field in response to the current urgent need.

The first course to train personnel for the metro is expected to enroll in September 2026. In the immediate future, the focus will be on recruiting students in essential fields such as electrical engineering, machine repair, train driving, signaling, supervision, materials, etc.

The school has also linked up with training partners in countries with developed urban railway technology such as Japan, Korea, China, France... to invite experts to support training.

The human resource demand for the railway industry in general and urban railways in the period 2025-2030 requires at least 35,000 people. (Illustration photo)

According to Mr. Khoa, the estimated demand for human resources in the railway industry in the period of 2025 - 2030, the whole country needs to train at least 35,000 human resources, especially high-quality human resources to meet the requirements of implementing high-speed railway projects, electrified railways, urban railways and supplementing teaching human resources for training institutions.

Specifically, the postgraduate level group needs about 1,000 people; the university level needs about 14,000 people; the college level needs about 11,000 people and the intermediate level needs about 9,000 people.

By industry group, the construction engineering group is the most in need of human resources, with a need of about 16,300 people; railway transport exploitation about 6,000 people; railway construction engineering needs about 4,700 people; and railway information and signaling about 3,700 people.

Other groups such as railway power and energy systems have about 1,100 people; locomotives and wagons have about 1,700 people; construction economics and railway transport economics have about 1,500 people...

At the same time, at least 12,000 people need training and professional development to meet the requirements of operating, exploiting and maintaining operating railway lines, including about 4,500 people for national railway lines and about 7,500 people for urban railway lines.

Industries in urgent need of human resources are train drivers, repairers, operations managers, construction workers...

Based on this need, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology will enroll and train in essential majors such as infrastructure engineering and urban railway construction; signaling - control and automation; power supply and electrification; operations management; vehicle services and railway mechanics; project management and railway transport economics; maintenance and repair management; construction materials and railway engineering; information technology and operational data; railway operation automation, equipment supply... with about 1,000 students in the first phase.

This human resource will be provided to state management agencies, project management units, operating units, construction, exploitation, design consulting, supervision consulting, construction inspection... research and training facilities.

According to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, the number of railway engineering training facilities in the country is still small. The teaching staff and facilities for specialized training in the railway industry are also at the initial stage, requiring a lot of time for development and investment.

Sharing at the workshop “Mechanical-electrical support industry for urban railways”, experts affirmed that to develop Vietnam’s railways and urban railways, it is necessary to develop the railway industry. Specifically, mastering the production of carriages, locomotives and the ecosystem related to the railway industry…

The first enrollment season for metro staff training at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology is expected to begin in September 2026. (Illustration photo)

In the context of Vietnam aiming to plan 25 railway lines by 2050 and switch to 1,435 mm gauge, the challenge of human resources is huge.

Dr. To Thanh Tuan - Vice Principal of LILAMA2 International Technology College, also said that the school is providing in-depth training in fields such as steel structure installation, rails, train cars; welding technology; industrial electricity... with combined training and dual training forms.

According to Mr. Nguyen Vinh Toan, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction of Ho Chi Minh City, according to the new planning, Ho Chi Minh City will have about 1,012 km of urban railway. In addition, the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway (nearly 42 km long) is being considered by the Prime Minister to assign the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee as the governing body, adding it to the urban railway planning of Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province.

Ho Chi Minh City strives to complete 355km of urban railway by 2035, contributing to meeting 30-40% of people's travel needs by public transport.

Ha Linh

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/dai-hoc-bach-khoa-mo-chuyen-nganh-duong-sat-do-thi-dao-tao-nhan-su-cho-metro-ar972834.html