800 students gathered to take part in the second career counseling event “Open Day” which took place at LILAMA 2 Technical and Technology College on 14 May 2016.

The “Open Day” was organised jointly by LILAMA 2 Technical and Technology College, the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the Programme Reform of TVET in Viet Nam, implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The event aimed to help students and parents access countless inputs on topics such as recruitment policies, vocational training programmes in the Dong Nai province in general and at LILAMA 2 in particular, and exceptional job opportunities after graduation.

While the first event on 10 April already attracted 400 students, the second “Open Day” reached an even wider audience with more than 800 students from grade 8 to 11 of secondary and high schools across districts of the Dong Nai province as well as teachers and parents.

At the event, the organisation board gave a briefing about LILAMA 2, one of the leading vocational training institutes in the Dong Nai province, which provides a high-qualified workforce in an area of substantial industrial development. LILAMA 2 is well equipped with new machinery and technology provided by Germany and France.  The teachers and trainers are skillful and have extensive knowledge on the tailored training programmes which are based on German standards. The main occupational fields at LILAMA 2 include Mechatronics, Construction Mechanics, Industrial Electronics, Metal Cutting/CNC, Welding and Information Technology.

Experiencing one of the colleges equipped with new standard infrastructure in Viet Nam, students are incredibly eager and excited. “My friend attended the first Open Day and asked me to come here today. It was so amazing to experience the modern and practical activities provided by LILAMA 2 College. Here, learning materials do not focus on theories like at other institutes. Intensive practical training helps students to keep up with any tasks in the fast-paced working environment after graduation. I will decide which occupation suits me the most at LILAMA 2”, student Phan Huy Minh Hiển, 17 years old, in the eleventh grade of Long Thành High School shared.

In Viet Nam, getting a university degree is a burning desire of most youngsters and parents. However, numerous university graduates remain jobless despite their good transcripts. The underlying causes obviously vary. According to statistics, one of the reasons is that students choose inappropriate career paths or the theory driven disciplines which are not required by the business sector. Therefore, career counseling sessions like this “Open Day” will be a key for youngsters and their parents to get an overview about vocational training programmes and future career options.