Digital workforce training: An empirical study of higher education institutions in Vietnam

In Vietnam today, the shortage of digital workforce is becoming more urgent than ever. This need for a digital workforce is not only limited to the information technology sector but also extends to many other industries, such as finance, banking, healthcare, education, industrial production, and agriculture. The shortage of digital workforce not only hinders the digital transformation process in businesses but also impacts the economic growth rate and competitiveness of Vietnam in the international market. This raises significant questions about the role of educational institutions, especially universities, in training and developing digital human resources for the national economy. This study aims to assess the current state of digital workforce training at higher education institutions in Vietnam. Data for this study were collected through face-to-face interviews or online responses to a survey questionnaire from 151 universities in Vietnam. The research results showed that most universities in Vietnam are implementing digital skills training programs for students. In particular, universities focus on training skills such as information mining, data analysis, and the operation of digital tools. However, other important skills, such as digital safety and security or digital content creation, are still not fully addressed. The research also revealed that the lack of a common digital competency framework, the shortage of lecturers with in-depth knowledge of modern technologies, and inadequate infrastructure and technology are major challenges to training and developing quality digital workforce in Vietnam. Based on the research results, we propose solutions for promoting the training and development of digital workforce in Vietnamese universities across four key aspects: (i) establishing a shared digital competency framework; (ii) enhancing faculty capacity; (iii) fostering close collaboration between universities and businesses; and (iv) strengthening investment in technological infrastructure for higher education.