Vocational study abroad: Is it really 'rosy'?

Vocational training abroad is considered by many young people as the 'shortest door' to reaching an income of tens, even hundreds of millions of dong per month. But behind the dream of changing one's life in a foreign land is a reality that is not 'rosy'.

REAL-LIFE COLLISIONS

Three years ago, holding a veterinary university degree in hand, Ms. Pham Thi Thanh Truc (28 years old, from Vinh Long ) left Vietnam for Japan with the hope of changing her life. The initial cost she had to pay for the trip was nearly 180 million VND, not including tuition, living expenses... and a few thousand USD in brokerage fees. However, paradise was not as advertised.

"My job is to milk cows and clean the barns, starting at 5am and ending when I finish work. My monthly salary is about 18 man (1 man = 10,000 yen), equivalent to 32 million VND. After deducting about 6 million VND in taxes, housing and living expenses... there is only about more than ten million VND left. However, where I live is in the mountains so I don't spend much, if I lived in the city I probably wouldn't have any money left over," Ms. Truc confided.

Nursing is one of the majors that many students choose to study abroad.

PHOTO: YEN THI

According to Ms. Truc, the opportunity to earn money in Japan is real, but only if you accept the trade-offs and hardships: working at night, constantly working overtime and little time to rest. "In reality, companies often exaggerate salaries. When coming here, everyone knows that earning money is not easy," she said.

After nearly 2 years of preparing procedures and studying foreign languages ​​in Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Chinh (20 years old, from the old Quang Binh , now Quang Tri) is studying nursing in Germany. Although he just arrived in July this year, Chinh quickly felt the weight of vocational study abroad.

"I study 8 hours a day, the curriculum is quite heavy so I don't have time to work part-time. The initial cost to study in Germany is about 200 million VND. In the first year, I was paid 1,350 euros (about 38 million VND)/month, not including taxes, housing, insurance... After deducting everything, it's enough to live on. If I want to go to a coffee shop every month, I only go 1-2 times. If I hang around more than that, I won't have enough money to cover the expenses," Chinh shared.

Studying a vocational course in Germany is not easy. The biggest difficulty, according to Chinh, is still the language. "If you are not good at the language, everything is difficult. From studying to working part-time, everything is difficult," Chinh said.

Nguyen Thi Ut Thuong (27 years old) graduated with honors in English. With the desire to experience abroad, she sought out an agricultural internship program in Denmark. "One of the biggest challenges is the language and cultural barriers. Differences in culture, working style and living habits also require a high level of adaptability. Manual labor requires good health and the ability to endure harsh working conditions and cold weather in Denmark," she shared.

A series of advertisements for studying in Germany online

PHOTO: SCREENSHOT

BEHIND THE ADVERTISING "HUNDRED MILLION SALARY"

In recent years, the phrase "studying abroad with a salary of hundreds of millions" has been advertised heavily on social networks, consulting company websites, and even in student and parent groups. Companies often paint a "rosy" picture: free vocational training, accommodation and food support, immediate employment after graduation with an income of 50 - 80 million VND/month, and in some places, the figure has even increased to hundreds of millions of VND.

According to Ms. Vu Hong Thuy, German Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK), vocational training abroad opens up many opportunities, but is not an easy ticket to change one's life.

Most advertisements for salaries in the hundreds of millions are usually exclusive of personal income tax and social security contributions (brutto) or are salaries in certain industries and localities; not all industries or all workers can reach that level immediately. "The average salary for those who have just graduated from vocational training programs (Ausbildung) is usually several tens of millions of VND. A salary of hundreds of millions of VND is usually only for workers in certain industries, with appropriate qualifications and abilities, working as skilled workers and with practical work experience," Ms. Thuy added.

In addition, the tuition exemption is only valid for the regular vocational training program in Germany (Ausbildung), students still have to pay for their own living expenses: food, accommodation, travel, insurance, administration... All costs make the actual balance not as expected.

One factor that makes many people disillusioned is the difference between brutto (before tax) and netto (after tax) salary. "After deducting income tax, health insurance, unemployment... real income is significantly reduced. Living in a big city is much more expensive. Therefore, a salary of a thousand euros sounds attractive, but it does not mean you can save immediately," Ms. Thuy said.

Ms. Thuy also warned of the risks from untrustworthy consulting companies: false advertising, virtual fees, and even sending the wrong people. "If possible, find out for yourself through official channels to avoid risks. Especially check the legality and reputation of the consulting company you entrust," she recommended.

Sharing the same view, Ms. Luu Thi Ngoc Tuy, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Vilaco Group, said that many families spend a lot of money hoping to go quickly, but the results are not substantial. "The market is still complicated. It is difficult for businesses to do things properly, because there are units that send the wrong people, even smuggle or advertise falsely, affecting the general reputation," she stated the reality.

To study nursing in Germany, you need a minimum German language level of B1.

PHOTO: YEN THI

BAGGAGE TO MAKE A LIVING IN A FOREIGN LAND

From a training perspective, Ms. Phan Thi Le Thu, Vice Principal of Far East College, said that the language barrier is the biggest challenge. "Even with a B1 certificate in Vietnam, it is still difficult to communicate in Germany because listening and speaking skills only reach about 40%. In fact, achieving B2 is the safety standard, but very few Vietnamese students can pass the B2 test before leaving the country," Ms. Thu said.

According to Ms. Ngoc Tuy, the most important skill that Vietnamese students need to prepare when studying abroad is foreign language. In fact, Vietnamese students often lack competitiveness compared to international students due to lack of foreign language.

From practical experience, Ms. Hoang Van Anh, General Director of An Duong Group (the unit implementing the VJC project - sending workers to Japan with zero service fee), shared that language and cultural differences are the biggest barriers for students when studying abroad. Besides that, there are differences in style and discipline. "The most common mistake is not thoroughly researching the program, choosing an unreliable sending unit, leading to unnecessary costs or not being fully prepared in terms of documents, language, and skills. Besides, many students have the mentality of going to work to make money quickly without clearly defining the goal of vocational training and long-term development, so they easily encounter difficulties, even giving up halfway," Ms. Van Anh analyzed.

According to Ms. Van Anh, high-paying jobs are often hard jobs, such as nursing, food processing, and construction.

Language requirements and recruitment

Ms. Hoang Van Anh said the difference in vocational study requirements between countries is also an important factor for students to consider.

In Germany, applicants must have a minimum German language level of B1 to apply for a visa, but do not require any entry-level vocational skills. Meanwhile, Japan requires a minimum Japanese language level of N5, except for nursing which requires N4 - N3; students do not need vocational skills before enrolling but must pay their own tuition and prove their financial ability. Similarly, Korea requires Korean language proficiency of TOPIK 2 - 3 or higher, does not require vocational skills, but students must also cover their own tuition and prove their financial ability.

In terms of recruitment needs, Germany currently lacks about 200,000 workers in the nursing - medical sector, more than 160,000 workers in the technical - industrial group (mechanical, electrical, automotive...) and about 1/3 of vacant positions in manual occupations such as refrigeration and construction. In Japan, the nursing - elderly care sector alone is forecast to lack 250,000 workers by 2026 and could increase to 570,000 by 2040, along with great demand in the food and catering sector. Meanwhile, Korea often falls into a state of shortage of young workers, especially in manufacturing, electronics, service industry and seasonal agriculture.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/du-hoc-nghe-co-that-mau-hong-185251027201329183.htm