Supporting young people to take control of their destiny through career guidance

Challenging numbers

In the context of digital transformation and strong fluctuations in the global economy , young people, especially those aged 16 to 24, are facing a challenging reality: no jobs, no education and lack of clear career orientation.

Emerging in the 1990s in the UK, the term NEET, short for “Not in Education, Employment or Training”, is used to refer to a group of young people aged 16 to 24 who are not participating in anyeducational , labor or vocational training activities. Originally just a statistical label, NEET has now become a prominent social phenomenon in many countries. On a global scale, the International Labor Organization (ILO) said that the NEET rate in 2024 has reached 20.4%, which is considered a “missed opportunity” in developing future human resources.

In Vietnam, the General Statistics Office recorded about 1.35 million young people aged 15 to 24 in the NEET group, accounting for 10.4% of the total number of young people in this age group. Compared to the previous quarter, this number increased by more than 84,000 people, according to the report for the first quarter of 2025.

Before the report on the NEET rate of Vietnamese youth, although according to many experts, it is necessary to collect, analyze and clarify data to come up with appropriate solutions. Specifically, the provision of labor information is currently only mandatory in the formal sector, with contracts. As for workers in the informal sector, it is only at the level of encouragement, meaning they can register or not. This leads to the difficulty of collecting complete and accurate labor data. But in any case, this is not just a statistical number, but also a wake-up call for the whole society.

Looking at the figure of 1.35 million NEET youth, we see clear regional and gender differences: 11.7% of rural youth, 11.5% of female youth are not studying and not working, while only 9.3% of male youth are. These figures not only reflect economic difficulties or access to education, but also show the absence of early and comprehensive career orientation programs. This shows that the State's policy needs to have timely solutions aimed at this group of non-studying and non-working youth.

Discussing solutions, speaking with the media, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan - Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Vocational Education Association said that while waiting for accurate statistics from the completion of the data collection and analysis process, to clarify the causes, classify the subjects, determine common solutions and solutions for each locality, it is necessary to encourage people and parents, despite difficult circumstances, to make efforts, through the support of social policies, so that the young generation can complete secondary school, high school and vocational training.

Assessing the current labor market, when artificial intelligence (AI) is strongly affecting all fields, changing the structure of occupations and requiring human resources to adapt, "orienting and promoting young people to study and participate in training is extremely urgent. Decision No. 677/QD-TTg dated June 3, 2022 of the Prime Minister approved the Program "Building a model of Learning Citizens for the period 2021 - 2030", this continues to affirm the importance of lifelong learning in developing national resources", Mr. Tuan emphasized.

Career orientation - the foundation for sustainable employment

The rapid change in the labor market due to the impact of digital transformation and AI makes the need for new professional skills even more urgent. Repetitive, manual jobs will gradually be replaced. Instead, there will be occupations that require digital knowledge, soft skills and innovative thinking. In that context, career orientation for young people is not just about introducing occupations, but a process of accompanying young people to understand themselves, grasp market trends, and thereby build a suitable learning - career path.

One of the highlights in the effort to support young people is the project “Towards the future of digital transformation in Vietnam” implemented by Plan International Vietnam and REACH Institute from April 2024 to March 2025. The project has helped 207 young people, of whom 42% are female, to be trained in 2D, 3D graphic design and Digital Marketing skills - jobs suitable for the digital age. 85% of the students have had jobs after the course, with stable income, financial independence and personal development.

Young people participate in the 2024 “Career Counseling, Vocational Education and Job Introduction for Young People” Festival organized by the Central Youth Union. (Source: Central Youth Union)

Lo Duyen Huyen, a former student, shared: “The course not only helped me have a stable career but also helped me become more confident and understand myself better. Now, I have many new friends and colleagues, all of whom are creative and enthusiastic. The income from my design work helps me take care of myself and support my mother. Each photo I edit is not only more beautiful but also a milestone in my maturity. I hope many other young girls will have the opportunity to study, work and explore interesting things in the technology field like me”. That story is a testament to the positive impact of the right orientation - not only changing careers, but also changing lives.

In the process of supporting young people to take control of their destiny through career guidance, it is also important to focus on gender equality and equal opportunities. Career guidance needs to go hand in hand with the elimination of prejudice barriers, especially for women. As Ms. Le Quynh Lan - Country Director of Plan International Vietnam emphasized: "The success of the girls in the project is not only a personal success, but also contributes to changing social awareness about women's capabilities in the field of technology". Helping women enter the field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is the way for them to take control of their future, breaking the cycle of poverty - dependence - passivity.

From another perspective, early career orientation right from high school is also very important. Building AI capacity, mastering technology and applying technology to solve human problems is an urgent requirement for high school students in the context of the 4.0 Industrial Revolution and the rapid development of science and technology. Bringing AI and technology into high school education not only helps students understand how AI works but also encourages them to apply technology in practice. This is also an important step for Vietnam to build high-quality human resources, meet the needs of socio-economic development in the digital age and affirm its position on the global technology map.

At the end of March, the launching ceremony of the AI ​​for Good Vietnam 2025 Competition - the first AI for Good competition in Vietnam, co-organized by the Institute for Management and Sustainable Development (MSD United Way Vietnam) and InterEdu Education Organization, took place. This is an educational playground for high school students of all three levels nationwide to apply AI to solve practical problems, contributing to sustainable development. The topics of AI for Good Vietnam 2025 encourage the following areas: AI for education, health, environment, for children, people with disabilities, for humanitarian charity activities, for equality. The teams apply the lessons learned to design a concept or idea that makes a difference in solving challenges in the local community or the world around them.

Mr. Nguyen Van Truc - Director of the Center for Training and Support for Technology Market Development, Ministry of Science and Technology said: “I am very happy to know about the AI ​​for Good competition - an AI program for high school students at all levels. They are the seeds of the country's technology development, if we introduce it early, this will be a very good opportunity. We are entering a new period of opportunity, innovation and national digital transformation, determined to develop a national development strategy, if the young generation learns and applies technology effectively, it will move the country forward".

Epilogue

From the stories of the project "Towards the future of digital transformation in Vietnam", the AI ​​for Good Vietnam 2025 Competition can see that not only social organizations, but also authorities at all levels need to take strong action. Starting from the construction of a national database on labor, especially youth, it needs to be promoted, avoiding the situation of "lack of data - wrong policy". From there, there is an orientation to encourage families, especially in remote areas, to access career orientation programs. The State needs to create policies to support finance, free consultation and training, as well as connect businesses in the career support chain for youth.

It is important to understand that effective career guidance cannot be a series of separate consultations. It must be a sustainable ecosystem, where schools - families - businesses - social organizations - and young people themselves participate. This ecosystem needs national digital platforms to support young people in self-assessing their abilities, locating their careers, monitoring their learning process and accessing suitable job opportunities.

Mastering one’s own destiny is not a far-fetched concept, but a journey that can begin today – with early, correct and humane career guidance. We not only help young people find jobs, but also help them understand who they are, what they want and what they can contribute to society. That is the only way for Vietnam to take advantage of the “golden demographic moment”, turn challenges into opportunities, and build a truly resilient young generation for the future.

Ngoc Ha - Xuan Hoa

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/ho-tro-thanh-nien-lam-chu-van-menh-thong-qua-dinh-huong-nghe-nghiep-post545863.html