Germany extends hand on vocational training

The joint statement announcing an enterprise training programme for the 2014-2016 period took place during the visit by Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel to Vietnam.

Germany’s IVU Traffic Technologies AG also signed a co-operation agreement with Hanoi-based University of Transport and Communication.

“Germany’s advanced technologies and know-how will provide us with major help in developing our human resources,” said Minister of Planning and Investment Bui Quang Vinh at the signing ceremony. He described the steps as a way of attracting more German investments into Vietnam.

Germany is now Vietnam’s biggest European trade partner as two-way trade turnover reached nearly $8 billion, accounting for more than 20 per cent of the Vietnam-EU trade value. German companies also committed to bringing $1.3 billion in foreign direct investment to Vietnam. Famous German multinational companies including Siemens, Mercedes Benz and Robert Bosch have been in Vietnam for years.

However, Vinh said, trade and investment co-operation between the two countries remained below potential, given the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Germany.

Gabriel said German investment inflows into Vietnam would increase in the future, especially after Vietnam and the European Union finish negotiations of a free trade agreement. He stressed that small and medium-sized firms as well as German multinational companies were eyeing Vietnam.

“They are closely watching the development in Vietnam and Germany relations,” said Gabriel.

The Vice Chancellor of Germany underscored that Germany would support Vietnam in terms of human resources training. “We are not only training senior officers but also providing vocational training programmes,” he said.

The German support in term of training programmes is also being implemented by Germany companies in Vietnaextem. For example, Bosch Vietnam - a subsidiary of Robert Bosch - is co-operating with LILAMA 2 Technical and Technology College in setting up an apprenticeship programme to provide German-standard technical industrial apprenticeships. Through the programme, Bosch aims to contribute to the build-up of a highly skilled local technical workforce for Vietnam, especially in the southern province of Dong Nai. In addition, Bosch Vietnam also recruited and trained 500 engineers working for its two research and development centres in Vietnam.