On March, 19th 2021, the executive committee of V2WORK Project held a meeting with the enterprise leaders to discuss the VEES-Net strategy development plan of the V2WORK project. The meeting also provided an occasion for the enterprises and the executive committee to discuss the job market in the context of the post-COVID-19 pandemic.

The meeting, on the side of enterprises, had the participation of Mr. Nguyen Van My - President of Lua Viet Tours Co.Ltd Company, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Bich Ha - Personnel Manager of Kootoro Company and Mrs. Dang Thi Chau Ngoc - Southern Branch Manager at TopCV. Representatives of V2WORK Project executive committee attending the meeting were Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Le Hoa Tranh - Director of Center for Human Resource Development, Dr. Tran Dinh Lam - Director of Center for Vietnamese and Southeast Asian Studies, and Mrs. Ho Cam Nhung - Consultant of Center for Human Resource Development.

In the opening ceremony, Dr. Tran Dinh Lam gave an overview of the V2WORK project, its major activities, and objectives with the highlight on improving graduates’ employability. After Dr. Lam’s speech, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tran Le Hoa Tranh introduced the network connecting the staff among 8 universities (VEES - Net) and its strategic plan for 2021-2023. She stated that the overall goal of VEES-Net was promoting cooperation among Vietnam universities in two fields: employment and start-up.  VEES-Net currently consists of 8 founding members including Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Industrial University of Vinh, University of Technology and Education - The University of Da Nang, Nha Trang University, Tay Nguyen University, Ho Chi Minh University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Thu Dau Mot University and Tra Vinh University; together with 3 collaborators:  Ministry of Education and Training, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and AIESEC. The meeting was a chance for the project executive committee to listen to the enterprises’ suggestions and improve the long-term orientation of the network, aiming to recruit new members and develop the network in sustainable ways.        

In the discussion session, the external partners contributed many opinions related to career services and the relationship between the labor market and university. Mr. Nguyen Van My suggested the university should research the seasonal recruitment demands of the enterprises in different fields in order to draw up the promotion plan and provide internship opportunities to the students. He believed that internship in enterprises was a fundamental channel to strengthen student’s employment opportunities. For the particular major as tourism, the faculty heads should design study timetables within the weekdays so that students could spend their weekend on their part-time jobs, which were the chances to approach the working environment, enrich their experience and strengthen their capacity. Following Mr. My’s suggestion on the strategic plan, Mrs. Dang Thi Chau Ngoc emphasized the importance of information technology infrastructure and confidentiality in the network's sustainable development. The VEES-Net executive committee’s attention must be paid to investment in the database construction in both safety and efficiency. Besides, Mrs. Ngoc shared the experience of TOPCV in attracting students and employers through their website and recommended VEES-Net to have a more vivid and attractive design together with diverse and updated job opportunities. As a technology enterprise, Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Ha agreed with the opinions of TOPCV's representatives, suggesting that VEES-net needed to strengthen human resources in the information technology area to manage and operate the network in the sustainable development orientation.

V2WORK Project executive committee and entrepreneurs

The meeting was an opportunity for the external partners to share their perspectives on the connection and collaboration with the universities, facilitating to strengthen graduates’ employability. In the closing ceremony, Dr. Tran Dinh Lam expressed his gratitude to the external partners for their suggestions and recommendations that contributed to the sustainable development of the VEES-net network. Ms. Ho Cam Nhung had also sent invitations to the external partners to participate in the Career Day 2021, held on April 7, 2021.