“In general, Vietnamese people have an exceptional spirit of learning. This spirit, when placed in a Western learning and application environment, flourishes,” said Mr. Tran Duc Canh.
No Standard Measurement for Competence Yet
Sir, as someone who has worked in policy-making and human resource development programs in the United States, what elements do you think are necessary for developing human resources in our country under current conditions?
Mr. Tran Duc Canh: Currently, in Vietnamese education, there is more focus on exams and degrees rather than on how to effectively train, develop, and utilize human resources.
Mr. Tran Duc Canh – Former Director of Training and Human Resource Development for Massachusetts (USA).
If a job requires only two years of training, then it is best to select someone at that level, and if there is a higher demand later, additional training can be provided. There is no need to train someone at the bachelor’s or higher level for a job that requires only an associate’s degree or to study one field but work in another. This not only wastes time and money on training but also has a negative impact on the psychology of workforce utilization. Regarding the work environment, labor division, and productivity, Vietnam ranks very low compared to most countries in the region. From the perspective of effective human resource planning for long-term economic and social development, the goal of education and training must be job and industry-specific, whether it’s the work of an artist or an engineer. Creating an environment and conditions to attract talent and develop each individual’s skills benefits the entire society when each person can develop their work well.
Those responsible for human resource planning must be able to research socio-economic data, analyze and evaluate information, and provide reliable forecasts of human resource needs for various future sectors and industries. Above all, employers, especially private enterprises, understand their staffing needs. There must be a close relationship between those planning human resource training and employers at both the macro and micro levels to effectively solve the human resource problem.
Designing “tools” to measure and evaluate training quality and labor productivity for each sector and the entire economic system is essential and should be regularly published.
Mr. Tran Duc Canh: The greatest asset of the Vietnamese people, no matter where they live in the world, if utilized well, is their spirit of learning. During the feudal period, social ranking was based on “Scholars first, farmers second, artisans third, and merchants fourth,” and this scholarly spirit deeply influenced Vietnamese culture. Over the centuries and despite the ups and downs of the country, the top position of “scholars” seems to remain intact in the minds of many Vietnamese.
People study to become officials or hold prestigious positions… some even pursue a degree by any means, regardless of whether they study much or not. But in the end, the value of “scholarship” has its own merits.
In a practical environment like in the US, this scholarly spirit has many advantages. The family and community pressure on children to become engineers, doctors, professors, and to fully develop their potential is intense. In a highly competitive work environment, there is no room for weakness, incompetence, or illogical thinking. Thus, the motivation of “scholarship” to achieve success, a good job, high salary, and good status is strong. However, “scholarship” that is just a facade and lacks practical application is a disaster for society.
Asian-Americans Have a Significant Influence in the US
In the context of fair integration with the West to develop and understand our position, what is the status of Asians in the West, especially in the US?
Mr. Tran Duc Canh: Asian Americans, though only 5.1% of the population, have thrived academically over the past three decades. The percentage of Asian American students (excluding international students) consistently ranges from 17% to 21% at top US schools, nearly equal to the combined percentage of African American and Latino students, who make up about 32% of the US population. For example, at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, Asian students make up around 50% of the student body. According to 2013 statistics, 49.8% of Asian Americans aged 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 31% of White Americans.
To gain admission to top schools, Asian American applicants sometimes need to outperform other ethnic groups. This reverse discrimination policy of some universities, though unwritten, was heavily criticized in the US and is no longer a major issue.
Today, it is not surprising to see Indian doctors in American hospitals, Vietnamese pharmacists at the drugstore, and Chinese professors at research universities. If not for the large number of Asians investing and working in software and high-tech companies in Silicon Valley, it is unlikely that “the cradle of America’s IT industry” would have developed as it has.
With the same scholarly spirit, some places flourish while others stagnate and fall behind. Perhaps the infrastructure of society is the key factor determining the development of the education system. As long as the playing field is not good, some of our talented human resources will have to play on foreign fields… in other words, brain drain.
Given the strong spirit and human resources of Asians in the US, how do you see Asia’s future?
Mr. Tran Duc Canh: During the Meiji era (Mutsuhito 1852 – 1912), Japan had a policy of “exporting Asia” to embrace the culture and techniques of Western countries to modernize and make Japan a powerful nation. But in today’s integrated world, I think “transferring Asia” is a more appropriate term. This means eliminating outdated, ineffective, illogical social operating rules that hinder the development of the country and region and building a better playing field and rules for ourselves… that is “transferring,” not “exporting.”
If there are no major upheavals in Asia in the near future, I believe the “educational axis” will continue to shift strongly towards Asia, and this region will become one of the world’s three major education centers, potentially surpassing Europe in the next 20 years in the number of schools in the world’s top 100. China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, and India are countries with strong educational development. If Vietnam does not quickly reform its education and training system, it is likely to continue to fall behind, despite having similar potential to other countries.
Asia currently has over 4.3 billion people, accounting for 60% of the world’s population, and is the most dynamic economic and trade region in the 21st century. Strong economic development is inextricably linked to the region’s education system.
How do you see the future development of the Asian and specifically Vietnamese communities in the US?
Mr. Tran Duc Canh: Looking at it positively and on a macro level, the United States has played a significant role in the economic development of Asia for nearly two-thirds of a century, with the most benefits going to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and more recently China and India, from the vast American market: capital, technology transfer, and management knowledge.
Despite being only about 16 million strong, the Asian American community in the US is generally very strong, dynamic, yet very integrated and equal. The Vietnamese American community (about 1.8 million people) is still young but stands shoulder to shoulder with other communities. Asian Americans have helped “revitalize” America’s education and economy, especially in science and technology, for many decades, while also serving as an important bridge connecting education, economy, and trade with their home countries. It is not surprising that the US may have an Indian American president, a Vietnamese American Attorney General, or a Supreme Court Justice in the near future.
Why have Asians succeeded so quickly in America? Because they have a place to showcase their learning spirit.
With these resources and the dynamic development of the region now and in the near future, the 21st century must belong to Asia. I foresee the possibility of a peaceful and truly prosperous rise of Asia, not the narrow-minded, weak struggles currently occurring.
Thank you, sir.
Source: http://giaoduc.net.vn/Giao-duc-24h/Nguoi-Viet-Nam-hieu-hoc-nhung-sao-dat-nuoc-van-ngheo-post152648.gd
