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 - Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), said that the University of Technology plans to open a new major in Urban Railway Engineering within the Faculty of Transport Engineering to train personnel for this field to meet the current urgent needs.

The first training course for metro personnel is expected to begin enrollment in September 2026. Initially, the focus will be on recruiting for essential fields such as electrical engineering, machinery repair, train driving, signaling, supervision, and materials management.

Currently, the school has also partnered with training providers in countries with advanced urban rail technology such as Japan, South Korea, China, and France... to invite experts to assist in training.

The railway industry in general, and urban railways in particular, will need at least 35,000 personnel during the 2025-2030 period. (Illustrative image)

According to Mr. Khoa, the projected human resource needs for the railway industry in the period 2025-2030 require the training of at least 35,000 personnel nationwide, especially high-quality personnel to meet the requirements of implementing high-speed rail projects, electrified railways, urban railways, and to supplement the teaching staff for training institutions.

Specifically, the postgraduate level group needs approximately 1,000 people; the undergraduate level group needs approximately 14,000 people; the college level group needs approximately 11,000 people; and the vocational school level group needs approximately 9,000 people.

By sector, the construction engineering sector has the highest demand for manpower, with a need of approximately 16,300 people; railway transportation operations require about 6,000 people; railway construction engineering needs about 4,700 people; and railway information and signaling require about 3,700 people.

Other groups include railway electrical and energy systems (approximately 1,100 people); locomotives and rolling stock (approximately 1,700 people); railway construction economics and transport economics (approximately 1,500 people)...

In addition, at least 12,000 people need training and professional development to meet the requirements for operating, maintaining, and servicing existing railway lines, including approximately 4,500 for national railway lines and about 7,500 for urban railway lines.

The sectors most in need of personnel include train drivers, maintenance workers, operations managers, and construction workers.

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

This workforce will supply state management agencies, project management units, operating units, construction units, exploitation units, design consultants, supervision consultants, construction inspection units, research and training institutions, etc.

According to Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology, the number of railway engineering training institutions in the country is currently small. The teaching staff and facilities for specialized railway training are also in their early stages and require significant development and investment.

Speaking at the seminar "Mechanical and Electrical Supporting Industries for Urban Railways," experts affirmed that the development of Vietnam's railways and urban railways requires the development of the railway industry. Specifically, this means mastering the production of rolling stock, locomotives, and the related railway industry ecosystem…

The first recruitment season for metro personnel training at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology is expected to begin in September 2026. (Illustrative image)

With Vietnam aiming to have 25 railway lines planned by 2050 and transitioning to the 1,435 mm gauge, the human resource challenge is immense.

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

According to Mr. Nguyen Vinh Toan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, under the new plan, Ho Chi Minh City will have approximately 1012 km of urban railway. In addition, the Thu Thiem - Long Thanh railway line (nearly 42 km long) is currently being considered by the Prime Minister for inclusion in the urban railway plan of Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province, under the management of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee.

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

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