- Vietnam launches major workforce training plan to support high-speed rail expansion.
- The government approves nine new railways, seven upgrades, and 28 urban projects.
- Plan targets 140,000 trained railway professionals by 2045 across critical fields.
Vietnam is enhancing initiatives to cultivate a new generation of skilled railway professionals as the nation gears up for an unprecedented growth of its rail system, which features the long-anticipated North–South high-speed line.
The Ministry of Construction has created an extensive plan for training and enhancing railway staff up to 2030, along with a long-term perspective extending to 2045. Authorities caution that without significant investment in human resources, Vietnam may continue to rely on foreign expertise for the design, construction, and operation of its new transportation systems.
The Government has recently sanctioned nine new railway routes and enhancements to seven current lines, in addition to proposals for 28 urban railways in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, spanning more than 1,100km altogether by 2045. Key initiatives like the North–South express railway and the Lao Cai–Ha Noi–Hai Phong line are seen as crucial to the nation’s industrialisation, modernisation, and regional connectivity.
The ministry indicated in its submission that the projects would be of considerable size and intricacy, necessitating a workforce not just able to construct and manage them, but also proficient in adopting and enhancing world-class technology.
Vietnam's railway industry is still hindered by restricted technological capabilities. Knowledge in essential areas such as locomotive design, rolling stock production, signaling, automation, and electrification remains mostly foreign-sourced, with minimal local research and manufacturing.
The report from the ministry cautions that lacking early workforce development strategies will hinder technological mastery, leaving the country reliant on foreign specialists during project durations.
Global examples indicate that nations that effectively implemented high-speed rail such as Japan, France, China, and South Korea combined infrastructure development with structured, long-term workforce education.
Also Read: Canada, Indonesia Sign New Trade Agreement, PM Confirms
The proposed project aims to train over 140,000 employees for the railway industry by 2045, in stages. Areas of focus will include construction engineering, electrical systems and signaling, as well as transport economics and operations.
Approximately 12,000 individuals will receive specialized training for railway operations and maintenance, comprising 4,500 for national railways and 7,500 for urban transit. The initiative also plans to train experts in management and regulation to enhance institutional capacity as well as technical abilities.
The proposed project outlines seven categories of activities and resolutions. It urges the development of incentives and favorable policies to attract and retain skilled professionals in fields such as railway management, engineering, and research. Concurrently, it emphasizes the need for tighter collaboration among universities, businesses, and government bodies to ensure that training initiatives match the real needs of significant projects.