“Cooperative training at LILAMA 2 is a highlight and model for a systematic cooperation between TVET institutes and companies in Viet Nam”, stated Mr. Hoang Thai Son of the Formal Training Department of DVET, “and the establishment of the Advisory Boards is another essential step to foster the involvement of the business sector in TVET and improve the quality and demand-orientation of training”

On 5 December 2018, the kick-off meeting for two Advisory Boards, one for mechatronics and industrial electronics and one for metal cutting-CNC and construction mechanics, took place at LILAMA 2 International Technology College in Dong Nai Province. More than forty representatives from the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training (DVET), Dong Nai Department of Labour Invalids and Social Affairs (DoLISA), sector associations, VCCI, and the AHK as well as managers and trainers of local companies attended.

Before the formal creation of the Advisory Boards, Dr. Jürgen Hartwig, Programme Director of “Reform of TVET in Viet Nam” described the conditions necessary for them to function purposefully: “Most importantly, their mandate, roles, responsibilities, and tasks have to be clear and jointly agreed upon. The more specific their objective is, the better they perform.”

Each advisory board will focus on improving the training in two occupations. 10 and 11 relevant stakeholders of companies, HAMEE, VAMI, DVET and VCCI were selected as members for each board together with one head, deputy and secretary. Their objective is to give feedback and guidance to the rector of LILAMA 2 on topics such as the adaptation of training programmes according to the needs of the companies, the organisation of in-company training phases and the engagement of business sector representatives in examinations. Additional partner companies and interested stakeholders will be invited to serve as members of the boards. Thus, they will function as a mechanism to encourage and create favorable conditions for the engagement of partner companies in the training of the four mentioned occupations at LILAMA 2 College.

This activity took place within the framework of the Vietnamese-German Programme “Reform of TVET in Viet Nam”. The programme is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in cooperation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA).