Vietnam Faces Employment Challenge as STEM Graduates Surge

“In three to five years, we will inject a powerful and highly talented STEM workforce into the market. The burden will no longer be on education, but on creating enough jobs to fully utilize this force,” said Professor Chu Duc Trinh, Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), at a recent conference hosted by the Ministry of Science and Technology. In a brief address, the Rector reversed the traditional narrative surrounding human resources in science. For years, Vietnam’s primary concern was the lack of interest in STEM fields. However, macro-level policies appear to have begun shifting the career choices of high school graduates. Over half of this year’s applicants have registered for STEM majors. STEM majors account for over half of all applicants this year. According to the Ministry of Education and Training, by the close of the 2026 university application window, more than 467,000 students had registered for STEM programs—accounting for approximately 53.4% of total applicants. Professor Trinh emphasized that this is a significant leap compared to 2024 and 2025, when STEM applicants accounted for only 180,000 (24.6%) and 222,000 (26.1%), respectively. He views this surge as the culmination of a long-term process. Following various resolutions on science, technology, and education, combined with new training programs in semiconductors, microchips, artificial intelligence, rail transport, and nuclear energy, society has begun to trust that STEM is a path to the future. This confidence is directly reflected in the choices made by students and their families. The proportion of students registering for STEM majors in 2026 has seen a dramatic surge. “We have successfully persuaded the public, and the evidence lies in the fact that students and their families have chosen to pursue these rigorous STEM fields. This is a very promising sign,” he said. However, if this trend continues, will the economy be able to “absorb” all these trained professionals? “We must create enough jobs to maximize the potential of this workforce. That is one of the greatest tasks for our entire society,” Professor Trinh asserted. To achieve this, he believes Vietnam must accelerate the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)—the sector that has always been the largest employer in any economy. For years, Vietnam has pursued a strategy of attracting large technology corporations—the “eagles”—to establish factories and production centers in the country. According to Professor Trinh, it is time to complement this strategy by nurturing “sparrows”—enterprises that may be small in scale but are “fully equipped” in capability. He argues that high-quality employment is not solely the domain of massive corporations, pointing to Japan as a prime example. The nation boasts both major tech giants and an extensive network of SMEs, which absorb the majority of the technical workforce and provide the economy with its vibrant industrial vitality. In his view, “SME” does not mean insignificant. “These companies may be small in terms of investment and headcount, but they must be ‘big’ in ambition and market reach.” Professor Chu Duc Trinh, Rector of the University of Engineering and Technology (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), speaking at the Conference on Institutions for Science, Technology, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, held by the Ministry of Science and Technology on July 15, 2026. He shared the example of Japanese semiconductor firms with as few as 10 employees—including the director, design engineers, and sales staff—that successfully export globally and possess unique products even defense contractors rely on. Size, he stressed, is not the sole determinant of technological value. A small team of elite engineers can carve out a meaningful position in the global supply chain, a model he believes Vietnam should emulate. How, then, can Vietnam create a large, innovative domestic tech sector capable of absorbing STEM talent, particularly when startups—whether in semiconductors, robotics, or material science—cannot easily afford laboratories, manufacturing equipment, or testing infrastructure costing billions of VND? Professor Trinh proposed a model long pursued by many Asian technology economies: building shared R&D centers. Under this framework, the state would invest in the research infrastructure and maintenance, while companies, research groups, institutes, and universities would pay for access, avoiding the need for individual entities to build everything from scratch. By doing so, SMEs would not only gain access to cutting-edge machinery but also benefit from the collective experience, research processes, patents, and knowledge accumulated within these centers, thereby shortening the time required to bring products to market. He cited Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan (China) as economies that have successfully applied this model for years. If Vietnam follows suit, the beneficiaries would extend beyond businesses. “The entire Vietnamese education system would also benefit,” he said, affirming that universities are ready to participate in operating and supporting this ecosystem. He concluded that if the current surge in STEM enrollment is a turning point, the next three to five years will serve as the ultimate test: whether Vietnam can successfully build an ecosystem that allows SMEs to effectively harness the potential of the human resources it has just trained. Photo: VnExpress Newspaper Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email. Type your email… Subscribe