Previously, one of the advantages often mentioned when talking about the competitiveness of the Vietnamese economy compared to other countries in the region was cheap labor, abundant resources with "golden forests and silver seas", but now the story is different. The difference is that the Government has determined its view on renewing the growth model based on increasing productivity, labor quality, applying science, technology and innovation. This is the right direction but full of challenges for a developing country like Vietnam.
In the market economy, enterprises are considered “locomotives” because when the productivity of enterprises increases, the overall productivity of the whole economy increases. To do so, one of the important factors is to build a system of productivity experts to help enterprises approach productivity in a systematic and appropriate way. The guidance of experts contributes to “opening up” the path for enterprises.
To become a productivity expert, candidates must meet certain standards. Ms. Man Thuy Giang - Vietnam Standards and Quality Institute - National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality shared: "Standards are the benchmark and basis for assessing the capacity of productivity experts in Vietnam".
Ms. Giang said that on April 12, 2023, the Ministry of Science and Technology issued a decision to promulgate the national standard TCVN 13751:2023 on Requirements for Productivity Specialists. This standard is built on the basis of reference to the standard APO-PS 101:2019 Requirements for Productivity Specialists of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), providing requirements suitable to actual conditions in Vietnam.
Ms. Dao Thi Minh Phuong - lecturer at the Central School of Training and Fostering of Industry and Trade Officials, consultant of the Ministry of Industry and Trade - also stated that productivity experts need to have professional qualifications; time to accumulate knowledge through the process of studying, teaching, consulting for businesses; the ability to communicate is a given. At the same time, it is very important to have good moral qualities and always constantly seek to learn.
Looking from the actual working process, Mr. Nguyen Tung Lam - Director of Vietnam Productivity Institute - National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality pointed out that although Vietnam's productivity experts have been trained a lot, the dissemination and orientation to industries and fields, especially to local enterprises, is still limited.
On the contrary, local enterprises, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises, have a need for productivity but have limited access to it. To overcome this problem, it is necessary to organize in-depth and practical training courses to bring productivity to the enterprises that need it.
There are currently two productivity specialist training programs: One is a training program that complies with international standards - the APO program. The other is a training program that complies with the national TCVN standard that we have just developed. For both programs, the relevant units of the National Committee for Standards, Metrology and Quality can provide advanced training activities for candidates.
