Tra Vinh University is a pioneer in training high-quality human resources according to international standards in the Logistics industry for the Mekong Delta region

A precious opportunity for the logistics industry in the Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is a strategic region in an important economy, contributing one-third of agricultural GDP, 90% of rice exports, and accounting for nearly 50% of Vietnam’s trade surplus (by 2021). According to the World Bank, the Mekong Delta has an annual demand for transporting export goods of about 20 million tons, but 70% of this volume has to be transported to Cai Mep port and major ports in Ho Chi Minh City, making costs of logistics higher, accounting for 30% of the product cost.

Therefore, the logistics industry is always the priority of the Government. Accordingly, the development planning of the logistics center system to 2020, with a vision to 2030, is to put into operation of two second-class logistics centers; to build and upgrade about 830km of expressways; 4,000km of national highways; 4 airports; 13 seaports; and 24 clusters of inland waterway ports. It is expected that in the next 3 to 5 years, there will be a smooth highway from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho City, Ca Mau province, and Chau Doc (An Giang province). Dinh An (Tra Vinh province) channel will be dredged, and the Center for the association of production, processing, and consumption of agricultural products in the Mekong Delta was formed. These projects will be important prerequisites to promote the development of logistics and seaports, contributing to bringing the region’s goods to the regional and world level.

Scarcity of high-quality human resources in the Logistics industry

The strong growth of the industry and the 4.0 technology revolution lead to huge changes in the employment structure of the logistics sector, requiring logistics human resources to meet the new requirements of businesses. According to the Vietnam Logistics Report 2021, it is estimated that from 2021 to 2025, the total demand for logistics human resources will be over 1 million workers. However, according to enterprises’ assessment, the current logistics labor force does not meet the requirements in both quantity and quality. The professional knowledge and skills of logistics personnel are, in fact, lower than the requirements of enterprises, with limited foreign language ability, lack of work experience, and necessary professional certificates. Therefore, up to 95.2% of enterprises take 1 to 3 months to self-train and foster through actual work or have to spend money to send employees to participate in training programs for international career certificates of FIATA, IATA…

Pioneering application-oriented training according to international standards

Grasping the potential and requirements of high-quality logistics human resources, Tra Vinh University is a public school in the Mekong Delta pioneering the development of Co-operative Education Programs – a training program linking with businesses, with 1/3 of the training time allowing students to work at businesses as a trainee. The program will help students equip their professional skills and improve job opportunities after graduation. At the same time, the program is also integrated with the international certificate of Fiata Diploma In International Freight Management, issued by the International Freight Forwarding Association (FIATA), to help students expand their job opportunities in large and international enterprises. Accordingly, graduated students have had 1 year of internship experience, apprenticed at enterprises in the field of logistics (from manufacturing, trading, and service enterprises to seaports), and were granted FIATA’s international profession certificates.

In order to increase the applicability and create coop internships and jobs for students after graduation, Tra Vinh University has promoted cooperation signing activities with many large enterprises operating in the field of Logistics, such as Viettel Post, Tan Cang STC, Ben Nghe Port, VIMC Can Tho Port, VIMC Hau Giang Port, VILAS, NhatViet Logistics, San Ha, Mekong Agency, Golden Ship,… Incredibly, recently, at the Vietnam Association for Logistics Manpower Development (Valoma) proposal on establishing the Valoma branch in the Mekong Delta, Tra Vinh University was honored to be nominated as the branch president. The branch will be the channel to directly implement the development orientations and plans of the Vietnam Association for Logistics Manpower Development (Valoma) in the Mekong Delta, contributing to promoting training activities and providing quality human resources in Logistics for the region and the whole country.

By My Nhien