In the age of technology, digital transformation is no longer an option but a necessity for the development of banks. With most transactions shifting to the digital environment, "digital human resources," especially technology experts with financial skills, have become a new concern for banks today.
Digital transformation - A "thirst" for digital talent.
Over the past nearly 10 years, the Vietnamese banking industry has witnessed an unprecedented surge in digitalization.
According to the State Bank of Vietnam, by the end of May 2025, the percentage of adults with bank accounts in Vietnam will reach nearly 87%, with up to 90% of customer transactions conducted through digital channels. Data from the State Bank also shows that the interbank electronic payment system currently processes an average of approximately 820 trillion VND per day. At the same time, the financial switching and electronic clearing system (operated by NAPAS) records more than 26 million transactions per day. Transactions via QR code increased by 78% in number and 216% in value within the first five months of 2025.
The program for matching bank account biometrics with national population data has reached 113 million individual records. This demonstrates the rapid development of the technical infrastructure and its gradual approach to international standards. However, this rapid transformation places a strong demand on human resources – especially those with in-depth knowledge of technology, data, security, and banking and finance. As financial services become fully digitized, banks also need a force of "tech bankers"—human resources who understand both technology and are proficient in financial operations.
Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, Pham Tien Dung, stated: "Never before has the banking industry been so desperate for digital human resources as it is now." He emphasized that the shift from direct transactions to digital transactions has created a new demand for personnel who not only know credit, accounting, and treasury operations but also must master technology, understand IT system operations, use digital tools, analyze data, and especially ensure information security.
Notably, not only are large state-owned commercial banks like BIDV , Vietcombank, and VietinBank facing recruitment difficulties, but even pioneering banks in digital transformation such as MB, Techcombank, VPBank, and VIB are frequently offering rewards to attract technology talent. Information from a leading commercial bank indicates: "Currently, the bank needs to recruit hundreds of IT personnel, but is almost unable to fill all positions due to a lack of suitable candidates. Positions such as AI specialists, big data engineers, and senior security specialists are all experiencing fierce headhunting."
In particular, in the current context, banks are undergoing a profound digital transformation, which has become a "race" across the entire industry. Recently, the State Bank of Vietnam issued several strategic decisions on the digital transformation plan for the banking sector until 2025 with a vision to 2030.
Digital transformation is not just about technology, it's about people.
According to the State Bank of Vietnam, bank employees need to possess both a thorough understanding of traditional banking operations and proficiency in information technology skills to effectively implement digitized business processes. However, the digital capabilities of employees remain limited and uneven across different personnel groups, and training budgets are limited, especially in small and medium-sized banks.
Financial experts also assess that digital transformation is not just about applying technology, but about changing the culture and operating model. Almost every operation, such as opening accounts, issuing cards, and lending, has been digitized. Knowledge of digital management and technology is a decisive factor in the success of digital banking services.
Dr. Can Van Luc, a banking and finance expert, emphasized: “Digital transformation in banking cannot succeed if it focuses solely on technological infrastructure. The core remains people, a change in mindset, and operational capabilities in a completely new environment.” According to him, the banking industry is lacking a team of “financial technologists”—hybrid professionals combining business operations and IT skills. This workforce can understand the logic of banking operations and know how to use digital tools to optimize processes, enhance customer experience, and control risks.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nguyen Hong Quang – a banking technology expert – observed: “Modern banks need security engineers, data scientists , AI programmers, cloud systems engineers… These positions are being competed for not only in the banking industry but also in e-commerce, telecommunications, and fintech.”
The demand for specialized personnel in financial data analysis, security, AI, and blockchain requires expertise in these areas. Many banks have built integrated ecosystems offering services such as ticketing, transportation, and commerce within their digital banking applications, but effective operation requires close collaboration between technology and finance experts.
Industry IT experts believe that credit institutions still lack a digital competency framework, leading to unstructured training. A framework based on international standards needs to be developed and applied across the entire industry, from entry-level to technology management leadership. Although there are no statistics on the number of IT professionals working in credit institutions, indications suggest that the demand for banking IT personnel is expected to increase by approximately 8-9% annually until 2030.
Several internal surveys also indicate a significant shortage of specialists in areas such as cybersecurity, AI, big data, and digital system design. The growth rate of internal IT positions at major banks consistently remains in double digits annually.
The banking sector is facing a great opportunity to become the region's digital financial services hub. Technological infrastructure is gradually improving, the legal framework is becoming clearer, and the State Bank of Vietnam is paying close attention. But all of this requires a workforce with sufficient qualifications, the right mindset, and the passion to lead digital transformation. Because "there can be no successful digital transformation without the people to lead it."
Source: https://baolamdong.vn/nganh-ngan-hang-khat-nhan-luc-so-383855.html
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