At the end of 2022, Ms. Dam Thi Tu, born in 2001 (from Hoai Duc district, Hanoi) was laid off by a garment company in Long Bien district due to reduced orders from foreign partners.
Ms. Tu was one of more than 40 employees who had to quit their jobs at that time. According to the announcement from the company's human resources department, the leading reason Ms. Tu and her colleagues had to quit their jobs was "not having skills, qualifications, or high skills", these positions were easily re-recruited when the business had a need. For Ms. Tu personally, this is the second time in nearly 3 years that she has been laid off for just a simple job, the lowest position in the enterprise.
In early 2023, after the Lunar New Year holiday, Ms. Tu registered for a human resource management class, a college program for those who are both studying and working. At the same time, she applied to work in a garment factory near her home to save on rent, and her parents also supported her with food and drink, and she personally paid for tuition and other additional expenses.
At the end of 2024, Ms. Tu has a college degree, and in early 2025, she applied to work as a human resources officer at a company specializing in providing hourly domestic help in Ha Dong district (Hanoi). Currently, Ms. Tu has a salary of 12 million VND/month, with 1 day off on Saturday or Sunday. more importantly, thanks to my degree, I am confident in myself and see more open job opportunities, said Ms. Tu.
Mr. Tran Cong Cuong, 40 years old, from An Thi district (Hung Yen) also lost his job because he did not have the skills and qualifications. In 2023, I was laid off by the company in the first round of staff cuts. The human resources department employee said that I am not old enough to compete with other colleagues and do not have any qualifications, so I am not a priority, said Mr. Cuong.
The company where Mr. Cuong used to work specializes in mechanical processing, located in Thanh Tri district (Hanoi). Mr. Cuong was hired by a compatriot.
Having lost his job and reached his old age, Mr. Cuong listened to the advice of his family and friends, determined to stay in Hanoi, both riding a motorbike taxi and studying an intermediate course in metal cutting at a vocational school in Cau Giay district (Hanoi). Graduated in April 2025, Mr. Cuong has now been accepted as an official employee and signed a labor contract with a business specializing in providing supporting industries for Toyota Vietnam Company.
"I dare not dream of a day's salary of 17 million VND. It is true that studying and being trained is completely different from entering the labor market without any expertise or degree, said Mr. Cuong.
Commenting on the efforts of workers to focus on improving their skills and skills, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - former Director of the Institute of Social Labor Science said that competition and the digitalization process are reshaping the job market. Technology is developing rapidly, workers without qualifications and skills fall into the unskilled, unstable, unstable income, and have no long-term benefits.
Workers need to proactively adapt, continuously update knowledge, improve skills, and be willing to learn to meet the requirements of work and the labor market. If we do not upgrade ourselves, it is inevitable that workers will be eliminated," said Ms. Lan Huong.
