In March 2020, the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET), the Viet Nam Water supply and Sewerage Association (VWSA) and the Vietnamese-German Programme ‘Reform of TVET in Viet Nam’ signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on “Cooperation in TVET for sewage engineering technicians”. This sets the foundation for a strong cooperation between state management agencies, enterprises and TVET institutes in improving the workforce in the wastewater sector to meet the labour market’s demand and international standards. Under the scope of the cooperation, the parties committed to :

• Promoting and disseminating the cooperative training model for sewage engineering technicians at intermediate, college and advanced levels based on good practices from the Vietnamese-German piloted programmes at College of Technology II (HVCT), Technical College of Construction No.1 and Hue Industrial College and partner companies. In this model, a significant proportion of the practical training takes place in partner companies through work-based learning.
• Enhancing the training capacity of VWSA and its member companies by  training the master trainers and developing networks of in-company trainers and examiners; and
• Promoting the establishment and operation of a skills council in the wastewater treatment sector with representatives from DVET, line agency(ies), VWSA, TVET colleges, sewerage companies and other relevant stakeholders. This council aims to develop policy recommendations, provide analysis and forecast on the job trends, provide systematic inputs in the development of the National Occupational Skills Standards as well as participate in training and occupational skills assessments in the sector.

‘We sincerely hope that VWSA could successfully connect sewage enterprises with the TVET sector to promote and disseminate the cooperative training model as this sector plays an important role in environmental protection and sustainable development in Viet Nam’, said Dr Juergen Hartwig, Director of the Programme ‘Reform of TVET in Viet Nam’.

The activity was held within the field of activity ‘Policy Advice and System Reform’ as part of the Vietnamese-German Programme Reform of TVET in Viet Nam. The Programme is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).