The old, adventurous teacher - Tran Anh Tuan

(NLĐO) - Among career guidance experts, Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Vocational Education Association, has a remarkable track record.

Even at 70, people are still working hard performing shows.

Mr. Tuan's "show" isn't a glamorous stage with bright lights, but rather the old lecture hall and sun-drenched schoolyard of village schools. The more remote and isolated the place, the more Mr. Tuan wants to go there. His back is drenched in sweat, his hair is white, and his inspiring stories reach across provinces and cities.

Mr. Tuan enthusiastically provides career guidance to each of his students.

When he held the microphone, his words were very decisive.

In April 2019, Mr. Tuan retired, concluding a 40-year career in the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City. During that time, he served as Deputy Director of the Center for Forecasting Human Resource Needs and Labor Market Information of Ho Chi Minh City for 10 years.

One chapter has ended, another begins. Immediately after retiring, Mr. Tuan quickly resumed his contributions at the Ho Chi Minh City Vocational Education Association. In July 2020, as Vice President of the association and career guidance consultant, he became an indispensable figure in career counseling programs in Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces and cities nationwide.

As always, among the many consultants, the consulting area of ​​the 70-year-old teacher attracts the most students. What Mr. Tuan shares is relatable and easy to understand, occasionally interspersed with a few slightly "blunt" words, yet the young people's eyes widen, their heads nod, their smiles wide, and they listen attentively without missing a single word.

In 1987, Mr. Tuan began participating in career guidance activities. At that time, he was the Head of the Ho Chi Minh City Job Placement and Counseling Office under the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (now the Department of Internal Affairs) and established by the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union.

At 67 years old, the teacher said in a very enthusiastic voice: "I'm old, but I still have the strength. If I can do it, then younger people should be able to do it too. Career counseling isn't difficult, but it's a long-term endeavor and requires dedicated people to commit to it for the long term."

Having worked with Mr. Tuan for over 16 years in career guidance, Mr. Nguyen Van Diep, representative of the Job Connection Company, jokingly calls Mr. Tuan a "fun-loving" teacher. According to Mr. Diep, career guidance, especially in disadvantaged and remote areas, is a challenging journey that demands great dedication from those involved.

Mr. Diep vividly remembers a 2019 trip to the Central Highlands for career counseling that lasted half a month. Each day, they visited four high schools, each dozens of kilometers apart, along treacherous, muddy roads. At night, the team slept in temporary accommodation at the union's house; the toilets had no doors, the roof leaked, and on days with heavy rain, they were certain to have a sleepless night.

"Yet, 'the teacher' never complained. No matter how late he stayed up, the next morning he was always the first to wake up, urging the whole team on, reminding them to check everything before moving. That spirit earned the great respect of young people like us," Mr. Diep recalled.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, despite having to wear a mask, Mr. Tuan continued to work diligently in career guidance.

I don't go to everyone who invites me!

For his counseling sessions in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Tuan prefers to ride his motorbike to the school himself, have a morning coffee, and chat with his students. Despite being nearly 70 years old, his optimistic spirit and love of work have never waned.

He said he greatly appreciated invitations to participate in career counseling from schools, partners, and colleagues… but he usually only immediately accepted invitations for career guidance programs in remote areas.

Students gathered around the teacher to listen to him share about his profession.

The Vice President of the Vocational Education Association believes that in Ho Chi Minh City, students have easy access to technology and experts, and career guidance only needs to be accurate to achieve 70% of the success. In rural areas, however, students lack many resources and need people with the time to discuss various industry sectors comprehensively before guiding them towards specific career paths.

"The further away they are from school, the more crucial it is to provide clear career guidance. While proper guidance doesn't guarantee success, a lack of guidance will certainly lead to failure. Many students, after finishing junior or senior high school, end up working as laborers, struggling to make ends meet, with unstable jobs…" – Mr. Tuan lamented.

The "Number 1" Career Counselor Today

That was the assertion of Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia, former Deputy Director of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, when speaking about his long-time colleague.

According to Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia, that position was created from a rare combination: a highly authoritative, almost exclusive, data platform; a comprehensive vision of the entire education system; and, most importantly, a passionate heart and a burning desire to guide the future of the younger generation.

Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia, former Deputy Director of the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, and Mr. Tran Anh Tuan will participate in career guidance counseling for students in Ho Chi Minh City in October 2025.

Having previously worked at Ho Chi Minh City's "headquarters" for labor data, Mr. Tuan's advice is therefore based on a vast amount of data and highly scientific analytical capabilities.

Mr. Tuan doesn't "predict" the future, he "forecasts" the future. Instead of chasing fleeting career trends, he always presents a realistic picture using compelling numbers.

"The task of guiding students after lower secondary school (grade 9) is a difficult area that many experts avoid, but Professor Tuan pays special attention to it because it is the most important 'bottleneck' in the national workforce guidance system. He not only focuses on advising 12th-grade students during the admissions season but also provides guidance throughout a student's entire development journey from grade 9 to university, creating a continuous and consistent career guidance ecosystem," shared Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia.

Speaking about his old friend and long-time colleague, Dr. Nguyen Duc Nghia smiled and said that Mr. Tuan has a habit of taking photos of all the places he visits for consultations. "That travel map has recorded his tireless footsteps throughout the years."

Despite his busy work schedule, Mr. Tuan always makes time for his family.

The habit of taking photos anytime, anywhere has become a defining characteristic of this teacher in his 70s.

After many years of career guidance, Mr. Tuan remains deeply concerned to see many students fall into a state of delusional thinking, having misconceptions about professions, choosing careers based on their abilities and passions but instead blindly following "hot" trends. Others simply choose any major, as long as they can get into the school their family wants them to attend. Or they choose too many university options, resulting in a lack of clear goals for the future and uncertainty about who they want to become.

"I really hope you understand that there is no such thing as a 'hot' field of study. Only when you choose the right field and love the right profession will you create value for yourself; that's what's truly 'hot.' Career guidance not only helps students but also helps parents and teachers have a more positive and relevant perspective in the modern era," Mr. Tuan emphasized.

Mr. Tran Anh Tuan has repeatedly received the title of Emulation Soldier at the grassroots level and Emulation Soldier at the city level. He has been awarded the Ho Chi Minh City Badge, Certificates of Merit from the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (now the Department of Internal Affairs), the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City; a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister (2010); and the Third-Class Labor Medal (2016).

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ong-giao-gia-chiu-choi-tran-anh-tuan-196251118084246969.htm