Attracting talented people is not just about income.

The demand for high-quality human resources is increasing rapidly.

The significant shift in the economic structure is changing the workforce needs of businesses in industrial parks. At Moons' Industries Vietnam Co., Ltd., a manufacturer and supplier of automated control systems, the company aims to employ over 3,000 workers at its factory in the VSIP Hai Phong industrial park by 2027. The company needs not only technical workers but also high-quality engineers, senior recruitment and training personnel, and import/export staff.

This is also a need for many large businesses such as LG Innotek, Pegatron, Van der Leun, Moons Industries, Eager Kenner, and Viettel ... Along with electronics, information technology, seaports, logistics, trade, and high-tech industries are identified as priority sectors for the city's development. Therefore, recruitment needs are shifting from unskilled labor and basic technical skills to R&D engineers, artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, semiconductors, data, and positions capable of mastering new technologies.

Mr. Tran Trung Hieu, Founder and CEO of TopCV Vietnam JSC, assessed: Hai Phong is one of the localities with the highest GRDP growth rate in the country. Currently, FDI enterprises in the city create more than 350,000 jobs and attract thousands of projects. Job opportunities are abundant, but require a workforce with professional qualifications, technological adaptability, and creativity commensurate with the scale of development.

Based on Resolution No. 226/2025/QH15 on piloting some specific mechanisms and policies, the city is implementing policies on science , technology, innovation, and attracting high-quality human resources in key technology sectors. Resolution 16 of the City People's Council includes policies for developing AI and semiconductor human resources, providing support based on employment contracts, research and development achievements, and accommodation costs of 20 million VND/month for the first 12 months of the labor contract, contributing to the concretization of the policy of attracting human resources for the driving forces of the economy.

However, a key bottleneck currently is the gap between training and employment. According to Mr. Do Minh Thuy, Head of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Director of the Center for Research and Creative Entrepreneurship, Hai Phong University, the university has over 15,300 students, 6 high-quality training programs; 158 PhDs, accounting for 35.6% of the staff; and over 6,200 student internships at businesses, with approximately 94.6% finding employment. The university also has 21 digital systems, 7 database groups…

However, the current issue is not just about quantity but also about practical capabilities, as the skills being trained do not fully meet the requirements of businesses. Up to 63% of businesses consider the skills gap one of the major barriers to transformation. Training needs to be more closely linked to real-world needs. To address this, Hai Phong University proposes a model involving the government – ​​university – business – intermediary organization, in which businesses incorporate problems, data, and skill requirements into the training process; and students gain early access to technology, processes, and real-world issues.

Business internships, business-commissioned projects, interdisciplinary innovation labs, and competency assessment data systems can bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace.

Create an environment where talented people can thrive.

The city's policies provide initial support, but businesses are the direct users, trainers, and developers of the workforce. Therefore, attracting talented individuals also requires businesses to upgrade themselves.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology Le Luong Thinh, businesses need to proactively improve their R&D capabilities, encourage internal innovation, build a suitable compensation environment, and establish R&D and innovation departments. To retain talented employees, businesses cannot compete solely on salary but must create an environment where they can develop their abilities.

This is also a key point for the city to shift from attracting human resources to building a high-quality human resource ecosystem. The city has important advantages such as a developed industrial base, a port and logistics system, the presence of technology corporations, a network of training facilities, and significant potential for the digital economy and innovation. If effectively connected, businesses can place orders, schools can provide training, experts can conduct research, and businesses can apply technology to create new value.

At that time, attracting high-quality human resources was not just about recruiting more engineers and experts, but also about creating opportunities for them to research, innovate, and transform knowledge into products, technologies, and economic value.

Over the next 5-10 years, recruitment demand is projected to shift significantly towards R&D, AI, robotics, automation, semiconductors, and data. Vietnam is cited as needing 50,000 semiconductor engineers by 2030, while 66% of businesses believe that new talent is not yet ready to meet job requirements. This puts pressure on cities and necessitates the creation of an attractive learning, research, work, and innovation environment to foster the ability to generate and retain high-quality human resources.

Businesses need to invest in R&D and a creative environment; universities need to train students to meet technological needs and increase practical experience; and the city needs to continue refining policies, creating spaces for connection and support for talented human resources, so that high-quality human resources become a driving force for enhancing long-term competitiveness.

THANH VAN