The World Bank (WB) in Vietnam, in conjunction with the Media Education Centre, held a seminar in Hanoi on August 23 with the focus on unemployment and the quality of human resources in Vietnam.

Speaking at the event, Christian Bodewg, human resources coordinator of the WB in Vietnam, suggested Vietnam prioritises improving the skills of workers to become an industrialised economy by 2020.

He noted that employers require workers with skills in awareness, behaviour and technique, including teamwork, presentation, inspection, flexible settlement of problems, social skills and equipment use.

Nguyen Minh Thao, Deputy Head of the Business Environment and Competitiveness Department under the Central Institute for Economic Management, said that 59 percent of Vietnamese workers need additional training.

They lack knowledge of foreign languages, creativeness, problem-solving skills and suffer from underdeveloped soft skills like communication, she said.

Thao suggested educational institutions reform vocational training as well as work with businesses to ensure trainees meet the demand of both domestic and foreign employers.-VNA