The goal of training 50,000 high-quality semiconductor workers by 2030 is considered on schedule, although there are still some barriers.

The information was given by Mr. Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of the National Innovation Center (NIC) - Ministry of Finance, at the announcement of the Vietnam Semiconductor Industry Exhibition - SemiExpo 2026 - on the afternoon of October 29 in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the Program "Developing human resources in the semiconductor industry to 2030, with a vision to 2050", Vietnam aims to train at least 50,000 semiconductor engineers, including 15,000 circuit design engineers and 35,000 engineers in the production and packaging stages.

"Progress is currently quite positive," Mr. Hoai said.

Citing reports from training facilities, NIC Deputy Director said that Vietnam currently has about 7,000 design engineers working at businesses. Together with Ho Chi Minh City National University, Hanoi National University, Hanoi University of Science and Technology and about 30 public and private training institutions, formal, conversion, advanced and postgraduate training programs are being implemented to meet the goal.

Mr. Hoai commented that, in terms of quantity, Vietnam is capable of achieving the set human resource target. However, expanding the scale only solves part of the problem. To participate more deeply in the global supply chain, Vietnam must improve the quality of engineers, increase practice time and create conditions for learners to access the industrial environment.

According to Mr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Semiconductor Chip Trial Production Support Center, Department of Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence - Ministry of Science and Technology, universities in Vietnam have begun enrolling students majoring in semiconductor ICs from 2024. With a training program lasting 4-5 years, in the period 2028-2030, the first batch of students is expected to graduate, providing about 2,000-3,000 engineers. intensive every year.

"This supply will supplement the existing engineering force, and at the same time create a human resource foundation for plans to develop the domestic semiconductor industry," Mr. Tuan said.

In parallel with formal training, retraining and enhancement programs for graduates of nearby majors are also implemented. According to Mr. Tuan, some localities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Dong Nai are supporting this program to expand human resources to serve the industry.

Besides human resources, research and practice infrastructure are also considered conditions to improve training quality. Mr. Tuan said that the Ministry of Science and Technology has established a National Center to support the experimental production of semiconductor chips, aiming to provide shared infrastructure for businesses, research institutes and universities. The center supports the realization of chip designs into commercial products, creating conditions for learners to access the product development process.

International cooperation is also an important direction to supplement human resources. Mr. Vo Xuan Hoai said that NIC coordinates to grant about 1,000 scholarships for semiconductor training in Taiwan each year. In addition, financial support policies are identified as a tool to promote training and research.

From a training perspective, Dr. Huynh Phu Minh Cuong, Deputy Director of the Center for Innovation at Ho Chi Minh City National University, said that highly qualified human resources in the semiconductor industry need both broad professional knowledge and practical experience. According to him, in developed markets, after graduating, students can work in a developed industrial environment, thereby accumulating experience quickly.

Meanwhile, Vietnam's semiconductor industry is still new, with a limited number of businesses, causing direct support from industry for initial training activities to not fully meet demand. This reality poses a need to adjust the way training is organized, in which businesses need to participate more deeply in the process of developing programs, guiding students and creating a practice environment.

Dr. Nguyen Quang Nam, Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Polytechnic University, Ho Chi Minh City National University, said that universities cannot create the entire industrial environment to train human resources. Enterprises need to expand their acceptance of interns for a period of 6 months to a year, and send experienced engineers to provide direct guidance on practical topics and projects.

"The companionship from the internship phase helps students accumulate experience before graduating, thereby shortening the time to adapt to work and reducing the need for retraining at the company," Mr. Nam said.

Another difficulty lies in the teaching staff themselves. Dr. Cuong said that Vietnam lacks lecturers with deep practical experience in the industry. Để khắc phục, Đại học Quốc gia TP HCM đã mời giáo sư quốc tế tham gia giảng dạy, hợp tác với chuyên gia có 15-20 năm kinh nghiệm tại doanh nghiệp, đồng thời xây dựng kế hoạch đưa sinh viên và giảng viên trẻ ra nước ngoài học tập, làm việc trong 5-10 năm.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Yen, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, said the city issued Resolution 65 in September, providing a maximum support of VND 25 billion for units investing in shared research infrastructure. The city will also assign tasks and order training for educational institutions, attach curriculum to the actual needs and problems of businesses, and focus on investing in transport infrastructure, social infrastructure and planning concentrated digital technology zones to create conditions to welcome investment capital flows in high technology, especially semiconductors.

Ms. Linda Tan, President of the Southeast Asia Semiconductor Association (SEMI SEA), assessed that Vietnam has a foundation in chip design and the long-standing presence of companies such as Intel, along with a developed industrial park system.

She proposed that in the next 3-5 years, Vietnam should continue to promote its strengths in assembly, packaging and testing before expanding to other stages in the value chain. This orientation requires human resource training to suit the recruitment needs of businesses, especially in positions requiring the ability to operate equipment, troubleshoot problems and improve production processes.

After two years taking place in Hanoi in 2024 and 2025, SemiExpo Vietnam 2026 will be held in Ho Chi Minh City on December 3-4 at Thiskyhall Sala Convention Center. With the theme "Beyond Aspiration: Shaping Vietnam's Semiconductor Future". The event is expected to gather more than 4,000 delegates from 20 countries and territories with 200 exhibition booths and a series of forums from international semiconductor names such as Coherent, Lam Research, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, KLA... and domestic businesses such as Viettel, FPT, VSAP Lab, Becamex.

Bao Lam

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