Vietnam is facing challenges in creating enough qualified workers for new roles in the green energy transition. The demand for green skills is outpacing its availability, and around 60% of young people may lack the necessary skills to thrive in the green economy by 2030.
The International Labour Organization estimates that there will be about 7 million jobs lost and 25 million new ones created from the green transition globally by 2030. Asia-Pacific is the region that stands to benefit the most from the green transition.
The transformation of the employment system has posed the challenge of developing skills to meet new job requirements, especially training for workers in occupations that are at risk of disappearing due to the green transition.
Green jobs account for nearly 4% of total jobs in Vietnam and are present in nearly 40 occupations. However, 90 other occupations that currently hold more than 40% of total employment have great potential to become green occupations in the future.
According to the World Bank, Vietnam’s green employment rate is equivalent to that of the United States, Indonesia, and Cambodia. This rate will also increase as investment trends for the environment and sustainable development are top priorities in many countries, leading to an increase in the demand for labour in respective fields.
Businesses are increasingly investing in sustainability, and about 70% of employees feel that a sustainability initiative makes an employer more appealing. ManpowerGroup is currently assisting many businesses to find candidates for hundreds of green job positions.
Agricultural enterprise GREENFEED Vietnam is also complaining about the lack of qualified workers. Chief people officer Nguyen Tam Trang said, “The company seeks as many as 2,000 employees in addition to the 4,000 currently working at member companies of the group. However, it is not always possible to recruit enough personnel to meet such needs.”
The green energy transition is a major opportunity for Vietnam to create new jobs and boost economic growth. However, the country needs to address the challenge of creating enough qualified workers for these new roles. By investing in skills development and training, businesses and the government can ensure that Vietnam is well-positioned to capitalize on the green economy.
