Viet Nam is identified as one of the most vulnerable countries to be affected by climate change. Thus, Viet Nam is committed to developing resilient pathways and decarbonising pathway to reduce the climate risks not only nationally but also globally. At COP26, Vietnam’s Prime Minister signed the “Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement” which aims to phase out coal power generation by the 2040s to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. On 15 December 2022, Viet Nam and the G7 countries agreed on a Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) which indicates an essential partnership to support Viet Nam with technical and financial assistance to realize a more ambitious coal phase-out and related emission reductions towards the net zero target in 2050.
Economic Growth and the Just Energy Transition require a highly skilled labour force. Based on the dynamic development of the RE sector over the past years, it is confirmed that Vietnam needs to act on (high skilled) labour force development in a more holistic and long-term manner. Hence, on 28th June 2023, the TVET Programme and the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET) co-organized successfully a technical workshop on “Skills Council Mechanism for the Renewable Energy Sector”. The objective of the workshop is to 1) provide an overview of skills development through the Sector Skills Council model, (2) present key findings of the stakeholders mapping, (3) identify and discuss key challenges in the sector, (4) discuss about the necessity to Sector Skills Council mechanism for RE in the context of Viet Nam and (5) propose recommendations for cooperation mechanism among State – Enterprise – TVET Schools in the frame of a Sector Skills Council for RE sector.
The workshop gathered approximately 70 participants both on-site and online. The participants are from DVET, State management agencies such as the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Education and Training, provincial agencies, representatives from the business sector, business association in the field of wind and solar power, TVET institutions, universities, Development Partners such as EU, Australian Embassy, the Embassy of Denmark, Aus4skills, ILO,….
In the opening remark, Ms. Afsana, Deputy Director of the TVET Programme emphasised that by establishing a Sector Skills Council, Viet Nam can strengthen the quality and relevance of TVET programmes, align skills development with industry needs, and support the sustainable growth of the renewable energy industry; the Sector Skills Council would address the industry’s unique needs and ensure a competent workforce.
The workshop started with presentations on Skills development through Sector Skills Council model by Dr. Nguyen Chi Truong, Director of Skills Department and Key findings of stakeholder mappings with focus on wind and solar power sector by the TVET Programme’s consultant. They were the inputs for a lively panel discussion on skills demand for renewable energy sector with the participation of business association, enterprises, TVET institutions and international organizations which are very dedicated to developing a skilled workforce for the wind and solar power industry. The need for a mechanism to engage the State – School – Enterprise in solving the mismatch between supply and demand is discussed. National and international experts have shared successful linkage models in the world. Mr. Ken Duncan, CEO of SkillsSonic, a leading expert on the Skills Council said “An effective SSC operates like the conductor of an orchestra with many separate sections requiring many different skills, all of which contribute to the final, beautiful result”.
Finally, participants have a chance to discuss Skills Council for RE sector and outline plan.
The technical workshop closed successfully with the strong commitment and advocation for Sector Skills Council in RE by stakeholders, specifically the business sector.
