Bui Thi Ninh

Director of Bureau for Employers’ Activities, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, HCMC Branch

"There have been several sponsors in Vietnam assisting in the development of several models, and the model of LIRC is one of the most prominent successful cases and has seen effective operations. VCCI encountered numerous challenges in developing a systematic, comprehensive and practical operational model for connections in vocational education. It was only when the collaboration with the Australian partners began that the way forward became clear."

As coordinator of the Logistics Industry Reference Council (LIRC) - a programme carried out by Australia’s Aus4Skills in collaboration with Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and partners – Ms Bui Thi Ninh has been actively cooperating with Australian partners to develop a system of connections and comprehensive, science-based information related to Vietnam’s logistics industry.

“Logistics is an interdisciplinary industry, the backbone of the economy. If Vietnam wants to enhance its competitiveness then increasing the logistics industry’s competitiveness is crucial, but there is a considerable skills shortage in this sector in Vietnam,” she says.

For a long time in Vietnam’s vocational education system there was no logistics skills training facility and very little connection between the market needs and the training. This situation has improved with the establishment of the LIRC (in 2017); with a well-rounded group of experts from logistics businesses and educational institutions to related government agencies, the Council can provide stakeholders with highly practical information on the industry.

The Council issued the Executive Report on Skills Forecast for Vietnam’s Logistics Industry in 2021-2023 - an achievement that Ninh takes great pride in. This is Vietnam’s first ever industry-led, rather than state-led, skills forecast report conducted with the direct participation of logistics companies. The report also provides information with a scientific basis on labour demands and trends in logistics, which helps young people to secure a job after training by participating in programmes designed to align with business and market needs.

Ninh says that prior to the LIRC, VCCI encountered numerous challenges in developing a systematic, comprehensive and practical operational model for connections in vocational education. It was only when the collaboration with the Australian partners began that the way forward became clear. “They shared the model from Australia, which has results, processes and principles for operation”, she says.

Ninh shared her vision for the future: “The industry’s demands are high. Companies are interested and the Australian partners are very willing because of their extensive experience in logistics. This industry was chosen as a pilot for the collaboration programme with Australia but now we can expand to other industries, for example, maritime ports”.

The Executive Report on Skills Forecast for Vietnam’s Logistics Industry will be updated for the 2024-2026 period, and potentially beyond.