“This training workshop provides me not only with useful instruments for establishing and improving cooperation with the business sector but also gives me the chance to share experiences with business cooperation officers of other TVET institutes”, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Dat, a participant from Long An Vocational College expressed his feedback during the training workshop on strengthening the cooperation between TVET institutes and the business sector in TVET.   

The training workshop was jointly conducted by Mr. Frank Schulze (Integrated expert), Mr. Bach Hung Truong (GIZ) and two LILAMA 2 multipliers (Mr. Kieu Tan Thoi and Mr. Nguyen Hong Tien) at LILAMA 2 International Technology College from 23-24 May 2019.  Twelve participants are business cooperation officers of ten TVET institutes from Dong Nai, Ho Chi Minh, Long An, An Giang, Ninh Thuan, Nha Trang, Ha Tinh, Bac Ninh and Hai Phong. These TVET institutes are supported by the Vietnamese-German Programme “Reform of TVET in Viet Nam”.

The training workshop aimed at providing participants with approaches and instruments to developing a sustainable cooperation between TVET institutes and the business sector – a key for ensuring the demand-orientation of training. The participants were instructed on (i) how to identify potential companies/ sector associations for cooperation, (ii) what should be prepared to approach potential partner companies/ sector associations, (iii) how to communicate with potential partner companies/ sector associations and (iv) how to establish and maintain a sustainable cooperation with partner companies/ sector associations in TVET.  

During the training workshop, Mr. Thoi and Mr. Tien, the multipliers of LILAMA 2, shared their experiences, best practices and recommendations on engaging the business sector in the whole process of the cooperative training approach, from developing occupational standards and training programmes, delivering training both in the TVET institute and in the companies to assessment of the trainees’ competences.  

Based on the provided instruments and instructions, participants drafted the work plan on strengthening the cooperation between their institutes and the business sector in TVET until August 2020. They also shared the ideas and drafts of the work plans among themselves. After the training workshop, the participants will finalise the work plans in collaboration with relevant colleagues at their TVET institutes and apply the provided instruments for a successful implementation of their work plan.  

This activity is held within the component “Support for Centres of Excellence for TVET” as part of the Vietnamese-German “Programme Reform of TVET in Viet Nam”. The programme is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) together with the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).