Promoting human resource training for the North-South high-speed railway project

According to the assessment, for railway projects that are about to be invested in the near future, human resources serving the design, management, consulting and construction of the project need to be prepared early, ready with sufficient capacity and qualifications in all key positions to receive technology transfer and master technology.

If the training and development of high-quality human resources for the railway industry is not immediately implemented, it will be very difficult for Vietnamese enterprises to participate deeply in the process of building and receiving the transfer of operations and exploitation of high-tech railway lines.

In the period 2025-2030, the railway industry needs about 338,000 workers.

According to information from Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR), the Railway College (under VNR) has just opened its first training course on high-speed railways with the participation of about 200 workers and technicians working at bridge and road maintenance companies and railway signal information companies under VNR. The program is divided into two phases, in which phase 1 is a 3-4 month theoretical training course at the Railway College taught directly by Chinese lecturers and experts, with the support of the school's teaching staff.

In phase 2, students will receive practical training and internship in China for about 3 months. According to Mr. Truong Trong Vuong, Principal of the Railway College, preparing existing human resources and meeting the human resource needs for high-speed railways during the construction and operation phases is extremely urgent. After the two current training majors, the school will continue to implement training courses on train driving, train dispatching, etc.

On the side of the State management agency, Mr. Le Thang, Director of Project Management Board 2 also informed that in the coming time, the State will invest in the North-South high-speed railway projects, the Hanoi -Hai Phong-Lao Cai railway or urban railway lines in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, so a large number of project management or consulting personnel are needed. Identifying this urgent need, according to Mr. Thang, Project Management Board 2 has sent personnel from the unit's departments to be trained and learn about construction knowledge and project management experience in order to prepare to "get ahead" when participating in very large railway projects in our country in the coming time, so that they can confidently "get started" on the job.

According to calculations by the Vietnam Railway Authority, in the 2025-2030 period, the railway industry will need about 338,000 workers. Of which, 9,200 project management personnel and nearly 13,000 project management consultants are needed immediately... For the North-South high-speed railway and the Hanoi - Lao Cai - Hai Phong railway, the labor demand for the operation phase is estimated at about 20,000 people. In the construction phase alone, 70,000-80,000 workers may be needed, bringing positive impacts to the labor market and social security. VNR has currently developed a separate training plan for this "mega-project", from upgrading existing human resources to training new ones and updating advanced techniques. VNR has signed a training cooperation agreement with Liuzhou Railway Academy (China) and is promoting similar programs with Japan, Korea and prestigious domestic universities.

Seeing this opportunity, many Vietnamese enterprises have decided to seize it. Mr. Pham Van Khoi, Chairman of Phuong Thanh Transport Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company, said that railway projects will be a great opportunity for Vietnamese enterprises.

To solve the problem of railway human resources, the Ministry of Construction is seeking opinions from relevant ministries and branches before submitting to the Government for approval the Project on developing human resources for Vietnam's railways until 2030, with a vision to 2045, with a total budget for training and fostering human resources for railway construction and operation of up to VND 40,564 billion, along with many other special policies. The project also determines that Vietnamese state-owned enterprises and private enterprises assigned, ordered or selected to participate in consulting, construction, manufacturing, industry and technology under the Government's specific mechanism must proactively prepare human resources with sufficient capacity and qualifications in all key positions to receive technology transfer and master technology.

Previously, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that in order to carry out the assigned tasks, the Ministry of Education and Training has issued an action plan and directed universities, including 5 key universities, to participate in preparing human resources. Up to now, the schools have started to build new training programs, review existing training programs, consolidate learning resources and practice equipment, develop a project to train high-quality human resources in the high-tech field and are submitting it to the Prime Minister for approval. Some schools are expected to start enrolling students in the 2025 enrollment season.

According to Minister Nguyen Kim Son, the Ministry of Education and Training has discussed with the Ministry of Construction the groups sent abroad to study. This June, the Ministry of Construction will transfer to the Ministry of Education and Training the number of training courses in terms of profession, type, and progress.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/Giao-thong/day-manh-dao-tao-nguon-nhan-luc-cho-du-an-duong-sat-toc-do-cao-bac-nam-i771909/