Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Nearly 5million workers in the textile, electronics and retail sectors will be affectedby the technology movement, according to a survey by the Chamber of Commerceand Industry of Vietnam (VCCI) on labour market trends.
This is one of the major downsidesof the technological revolution that has for many years also greatly benefitedpeople and economies, Tin Tuc (News) reports.
To ensure jobs, not only the Stateand enterprises, but also the workers themselves have to improve their skillsto adapt.
Dao Thi Thu Hien, Chief of Canon VietnamOffice, said seven years ago, Canon Thang Long Plant in Dong Anh districtemployed 13,000 workers, but the number had dropped to 8,000 with automation,while turnover and production remain stable.
With robots and computingadvancements replacing workers, especially those performing repetitive tasks,low-skilled workers are the most harmed, according to Hien.
Deputy General Director of the GarmentNo.10 Corporation, Nguyen Thien Ly, said: "The trend of using technologyto replace human labour is indispensable in order to reduce costs and compete.”
In recent years, the company had toinvest in equipment to cut labour costs, she said. For example, an automaticcutting machine could replace 12-15 employees, said Ly. "Over the pastyear, the garment industry faced difficulties due to the increase of laborcosts in Viet Nam while there were fewer preferential tax policies soapplication of new technologies replacing labour will partly help solve thisdifficulty," she said.
According to a survey by the WorldLabour Organisation (ILO), to meet the trend of integration, someforeign-invested garment factories in Vietnam put advanced technology inuse last year to replace 10 to 15 workers in each stage of production.
In the coming years, 86 per cent ofVietnamese workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation,according to the ILO’s study. Robots will replace three-quarters of the workersin the electricity and electronic industries, the study said.
"This requires Vietnam todevelop a comprehensive and synchronous strategy," said Vu Tien Loc, Chairmanof VCCI.
Dao Van Vinh, Director of theInstitute of Labour and Social Sciences under the Ministry of Labour, Invalidsand Social Affairs (MOLISA), said globalisation and the scientific andtechnological revolution are posing challenges for the labour market.
Over 11.2 million out of more than54 million workers in the country had undergone training and gotten diplomasand certificates, he said. But the number of workers trained in engineering andtechnology remained low, he added.
"And the country still lacksskilled workers in mechanical engineering, electronics, electrical engineeringas well as corporate governance, finance, banking, information technology andautomation, "Vinh said.
According to statistics of the VietnamNational Productivity Institute, the Vietnamese are assessed to be hard workingand dedicated labourers, but labour productivity remains lower than in otherASEAN bloc countries.
Vietnam would take many more decadesto catch up with them as well as with other advanced countries in the world,Vinh said.
A survey by the Institute of LabourScience and Social Affairs has pointed out that 50 per cent of firms don’tforecast which skills are needed in the future, and 38 per cent don’t haveclose link with vocational schools or other training facilities.
According to Ly, most employees haveto be retrained when they are recruited. Enterprises are looking forward toState support in training qualified workers.
Loc said the working environment atenterprises was a good school and enterprises should actively participate inthe training process to meet the demand of the labour market.-VNA
This is one of the major downsidesof the technological revolution that has for many years also greatly benefitedpeople and economies, Tin Tuc (News) reports.
To ensure jobs, not only the Stateand enterprises, but also the workers themselves have to improve their skillsto adapt.
Dao Thi Thu Hien, Chief of Canon VietnamOffice, said seven years ago, Canon Thang Long Plant in Dong Anh districtemployed 13,000 workers, but the number had dropped to 8,000 with automation,while turnover and production remain stable.
With robots and computingadvancements replacing workers, especially those performing repetitive tasks,low-skilled workers are the most harmed, according to Hien.
Deputy General Director of the GarmentNo.10 Corporation, Nguyen Thien Ly, said: "The trend of using technologyto replace human labour is indispensable in order to reduce costs and compete.”
In recent years, the company had toinvest in equipment to cut labour costs, she said. For example, an automaticcutting machine could replace 12-15 employees, said Ly. "Over the pastyear, the garment industry faced difficulties due to the increase of laborcosts in Viet Nam while there were fewer preferential tax policies soapplication of new technologies replacing labour will partly help solve thisdifficulty," she said.
According to a survey by the WorldLabour Organisation (ILO), to meet the trend of integration, someforeign-invested garment factories in Vietnam put advanced technology inuse last year to replace 10 to 15 workers in each stage of production.
In the coming years, 86 per cent ofVietnamese workers are at high risk of losing their jobs to automation,according to the ILO’s study. Robots will replace three-quarters of the workersin the electricity and electronic industries, the study said.
"This requires Vietnam todevelop a comprehensive and synchronous strategy," said Vu Tien Loc, Chairmanof VCCI.
Dao Van Vinh, Director of theInstitute of Labour and Social Sciences under the Ministry of Labour, Invalidsand Social Affairs (MOLISA), said globalisation and the scientific andtechnological revolution are posing challenges for the labour market.
Over 11.2 million out of more than54 million workers in the country had undergone training and gotten diplomasand certificates, he said. But the number of workers trained in engineering andtechnology remained low, he added.
"And the country still lacksskilled workers in mechanical engineering, electronics, electrical engineeringas well as corporate governance, finance, banking, information technology andautomation, "Vinh said.
According to statistics of the VietnamNational Productivity Institute, the Vietnamese are assessed to be hard workingand dedicated labourers, but labour productivity remains lower than in otherASEAN bloc countries.
Vietnam would take many more decadesto catch up with them as well as with other advanced countries in the world,Vinh said.
A survey by the Institute of LabourScience and Social Affairs has pointed out that 50 per cent of firms don’tforecast which skills are needed in the future, and 38 per cent don’t haveclose link with vocational schools or other training facilities.
According to Ly, most employees haveto be retrained when they are recruited. Enterprises are looking forward toState support in training qualified workers.
Loc said the working environment atenterprises was a good school and enterprises should actively participate inthe training process to meet the demand of the labour market.-VNA
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