Learning a trade to work early
Tran Ngoc Anh (born in 2006, from Thanh Hoa) passed the university entrance exam but decided to study a trade.
This was not Ngoc Anh's improvised decision but the direction that she and her family had chosen for a long time. The family has 3 siblings, Ngoc Anh is the eldest child, her parents are only farmers, so worrying about the school fees for the 3 children is too much.
"I discussed it with my parents and decided to choose a makeup job. In my hometown, this profession is currently a good job, giving me a fairly good income. Life in the countryside is now higher, the demand for beauty and makeup services is increasing, so the makeup profession also has the opportunity to develop. Not to mention, learning a trade will help me go to work early, save costs for my parents and quickly earn money to support them in their studies, Ngoc Anh said.
In 2023, Ngoc Anh studied makeup at a vocational school in Dai Mo ward (Hanoi). While studying, Ngoc Anh applied for a vocational training degree at a makeup shop. Since the second year, I have been a salaried employee.
"I will graduate next year, I will work part-time and save almost enough money to buy tools, handicrafts... My parents also renovated the family room next to the road to make it more spacious and cleaner to make a shop in the near future," Ngoc Anh happily said.
Also proactively choosing to study a trade even though he passed many famous universities such as Ngoc Anh, Lai The Binh (born in 2005, from Hai Phong) chose the automotive repair industry. Binh said that since he was a child, he has loved cars, and his uncle has a car repair garage in Hai Phong, giving him a stable income and a very good life. I told myself that I did not just study as a teacher, doctor or university, but followed the professions that closely followed the needs of life but still succeeded right in my hometown, Binh said.
In 2022, Binh studied automotive repair at a vocational school in Cau Giay ward (Hanoi). After graduating in June 2025, Binh decided to return to his hometown to work for his uncle's auto repair workshop, after that, he would consider a direction of autonomy.
"Fortunately for me, when I decided to learn a trade, my family absolutely supported me. My learning process also focuses on studying, not afraid of difficulties. In addition to studying at school, whenever I have free time, I apply to study at cars cars introduced by my uncle, taking the opportunity to research educational videos online in my free time..." - Binh shared.
High job opportunities
Mr. Le Quang Trung - former Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Employment - said that in Vietnam, career guidance and student orientation work face many challenges. The situation of "over-scholarship and shortage of workers" is common when a part of university graduates have difficulty finding jobs while many businesses lack skilled technical workers. The social psychology of "preferring degrees" is a barrier affecting the decision to choose a career and a path of study of students and parents. These reasons lead to the low rate of students turning into vocational education after high school compared to the set target and demand of the labor market.
Assessing the reality of many students passing the university entrance exam but deciding to learn a trade, Mr. Trung said that this is a direction that is suitable for the conditions of many families, the preferences of students and the direction to increase job opportunities for students when they have finished their studies and joined the labor market.
According to Mr. Trung, vocational training institutions (VETs) currently have close coordination with enterprises in vocational training, vocational students are allowed to practice and even have jobs right from the second and third school years; during the internship, students are also supported by enterprises.
"Due to training activities according to the needs of businesses, most students and graduates have jobs immediately. In particular, students majoring in electrical - electronics, automation, auto repair... have jobs that account for almost the absolute proportion. Many schools commit to output, 100% of students have jobs right after graduation, so as long as they try, job opportunities and income are very open" - Mr. Trung said.
