The career guidance team is largely amateur, lacking specialized skills.

Today (December 5th), the Subcommittee on General Education , National Council for Education and Human Resource Development, held a meeting on career guidance and streaming orientation for students in secondary education institutions.

Reporting on career guidance and student streaming, Nguyen Xuan Thanh, Director of the Department of Secondary Education (Ministry of Education and Training), stated that on May 14, 2018, the Prime Minister approved the Project "Career Guidance and Student Streaming in General Education in the period 2018-2025" (Project 522). The project emphasizes the innovation of career guidance content and methods, linking it to practical production and social needs, while also promoting measures to stream students after lower secondary (junior high) and upper secondary (high) education into vocational education.

Overview of the session

Implementing Project 522, the career guidance education program in junior and senior high schools has achieved many results, marking an important step forward in the reform of general education towards a career orientation. Specifically, at the junior high school level, the percentage of schools organizing career guidance education programs linked to the practical production, business, and service activities of the locality reached 68.52%, exceeding the target of 55%. At the senior high school level, 75.93% of schools implemented the program, exceeding the initial target of 60%. The percentage of schools with teachers who also serve as career guidance counselors reached 74.07% at the junior high school level and 77.78% at the senior high school level, exceeding the target.

Widespread career guidance and awareness campaigns have been organized to enhance the understanding of students, parents, and society regarding the importance of career education and student streaming. A notable development recently has been the integration of STEM education into various subjects, helping students to early recognize and orient themselves towards career paths through practical activities in science , engineering, technology, and mathematics. This has improved students' applicability and adaptability to future job fields.

Despite achieving many noteworthy results, the project's implementation still faces numerous shortcomings and challenges, including a lack of uniformity across regions, limitations in documentation and support tools, infrastructure, human resources, funding, coordination between schools and families, and the level of attention and awareness throughout society.

Identifying one of the main reasons why career guidance and vocational training in schools still face difficulties lies in policies and resources, Dr. Hoang Ngoc Vinh, former Director of the Department of Professional Education (Ministry of Education and Training), believes that there are still many limitations in financial investment, human resources, and implementation tools. The majority of those working in career guidance are amateurs lacking specialized skills. Therefore, the most urgent solution is to have strong investment in infrastructure, teaching staff, and specific financial policies to support career guidance and vocational training, instead of relying solely on local budgets.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen, Thai Nguyen University of Education needs to improve the legal framework for educational streaming, develop policies to support students, improve post-secondary training programs, promote community and business participation, and monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of high school student streaming. Along with that, a monitoring and evaluation mechanism is needed to enhance the program's effectiveness.

Regarding the role of macroeconomic policies on this issue, Professor Nguyen Van Minh, former Rector of Hanoi Pedagogical University, argued that it is necessary to change society's perception of vocational training: “The word 'vocation' is synonymous with 'career,' so we must focus on policies regarding job placement for the professions already defined in schools, as well as training after streaming. Vocational training must meet the needs of society and ensure fairness. Only then can we change perceptions and convince society.”

Regarding the perspective that career guidance and streaming should begin with students' needs, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Anh, former Principal of Nguyen Tat Thanh Secondary and High School, shared that for students to have the need and interest in career guidance, 100% of teachers in schools must have a full understanding of this work. This is also consistent with the orientation and goals of the 2018 General Education Program.

Source: https://vov.vn/xa-hoi/doi-ngu-lam-huong-nghiep-phan-lon-van-la-nghiep-du-thieu-ky-nang-chuyen-sau-post1140135.vov