Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan offered his thoughts on Vietnam’s workforce and the impacts of globalisation during a meeting with the country’s youth representatives in the capital on June 30.

The event formed part of the third meeting of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCMCYU).

Addressing the event, the Deputy PM said Vietnam has seen an increase in its number of skilled workers, from 6 million in 2000 to over 20 million last year, which has formed an important foundation to attract foreign investment.

He suggested training a contingent of highly-qualified researchers and university lecturers in in-demand fields such as applied sciences, and urged talented young students to consider a career in these areas.

He said that the country’s ongoing success and development hinges on the use of this knowledge, citing the huge investment that ASEAN nations and developed countries across the world have made in science and technology.

Nhan said that the commitment of the Communist Party and State of Vietnam to this field can be seen in the issuance of the 2011-2020 Vietnam human resources training strategy, the 2011-2020 education and vocational training scheme, and the national hi-tech development programme until 2020.

Turning his attention to the topic of globalisation, Nhan said that it poses both obstacles and opportunities to countries worldwide, especially during in this new internet age.

Secretary of the Youth Union’s HCM City chapter Le Quoc Phong stressed the need to offer career orientation to youngsters while providing them with the social skills and necessary support to make a success of their lives.

Standing Deputy Chairman of the Vietnam Youth Federation Nguyen Phi Long said the Union’s members need to improve the quality of their campaigns to better highlight the needs and accomplishments of the nation’s youth.-VNA