Developing human resources, particularly in the construction sector, is a strategic breakthrough in accelerating the country’s socio-economic development, industrialisation, and modernisation. It is also a crucial factor in strengthening national defence and security, contributing to the firm protection of the Fatherland in the new era.

Focusing on human resource development, especially high-quality personnel, to promote socio-economic growth and drive industrialisation and modernisation, is a major concern of our Party and State. The Resolution of the 13^th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam has identified the development of human resources, particularly high-calibre talents, as one of the three strategic breakthroughs, aiming to transform our country into a socialist-oriented modernised, industrialised nation by the mid-21^st century.

New students of Hanoi Architectural University, Ministry of Construction

With well-aligned development strategies, Vietnam has seen rapid urbanisation in recent years, with many cities becoming globally attractive destinations. This has demonstrated the clear-sighted leadership and direction of our Party and State, as well as the active participation of all levels and sectors, including the construction sector. However, rapid urbanisation has also placed a burden on the country in general and the construction sector in particular, necessitating the qualitative and quantitative development of human resources to meet social demands. Recognising the importance of human resource development in the construction sector, our Party and State have issued many relevant documents to meet the requirements and tasks in the new situation. Despite this, there has been a decline in the number of mid-level trained workers and technicians, along with the decelerated addition of high-calibre talents. A section of employees still fall short of technological proficiency and fail to keep up with the industry's rapid growth. Moreover, the task of strengthening national defence and safeguarding the Fatherland brings with it growing demands for military facilities, as well as housing, and workplace for officers and soldiers. At the same time, the Military is undergoing a structural shift toward becoming an “elite, compact, and strong” Army, with military enterprises and engineering forces operating across a dispersed array of provinces and cities, primarily in remote, underdeveloped, and difficult-to-access border areas. The complexity and danger of these tasks significantly impact socio-economic development and national defence efforts.

To meet the requirements and tasks of the new era, it is essential that all levels and sectors, including the Army, effectively train and develop human resources, particularly high-quality talents while investing in infrastructures, mobilising financial resources, and expanding partnerships at home and abroad to upskill the workforce, especially within the construction sector. Addressing these issues, this article discusses several aspects of developing human resources in the construction industry to meet the requirements of national defence in the new era.

First, it is essential to prioritise human resource training and development in the construction industry, thereby meeting the requirements of socio-economic growth associated with national defence and security. As the technological revolution progresses, the demand for highly skilled labour in various sectors, especially in construction, is increasing. This necessitates improved training quality for construction-related human resources to simultaneously serve socio-economic and defence needs. Therefore, academies, educational institutions, and enterprises, both inside and outside the Army, tasked with training construction-related talents, should expand their operational scale and diversify training types to meet workforce needs effectively. Basic, widely applicable trades should receive particular emphasis, while high-quality, specialised, and cutting-edge construction skills must be taught by institutions under the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of National Defence (MND) or in collaboration with reputable national and international organisations. This ensures a workforce capable of dual-purpose projects that meet both socio-economic and military objectives.

Due to the unique and highly confidential nature of military construction, especially defence projects, military agencies, units, and enterprises, primarily the Engineer Corps and the Military Technical Academy, must closely adhere to their tasks and training objectives. This includes enhancing the quality of human resource training in military construction, bomb and mine clearance, and disaster recovery. In addition, military units and enterprises need to organise hands-on training and upskilling programs for staff directly involved in constructing military facilities, housing, and offices. The “on-the-job training” and "weaknesses-centred" approaches should be employed, making “the construction site a training ground”. Experienced personnel should be regularly assigned to specialised projects and to mentor younger, less experienced staff, while self-study should be encouraged. The training process should concentrate on new, complex issues and the use of specialised construction equipment and technologies.

Second, it is necessary to establish vocational schools that meet national standards or universities and colleges with national-standard vocational training centres. Currently, many industries in Vietnam, including construction, are experiencing an imbalance, marked by an oversupply of theoretical experts and a shortage of skilled workers, making the development of construction-related human resources a high priority. Therefore, the Ministry of Construction and the MND need to closely cooperate with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs and local authorities to plan and develop a network of vocational schools that expand training capacities in line with the growing demand for skilled labour in construction. Vocational schools need to provide high-quality, specialised training in fields, such as machinery installation, pressure pipe welding, hydraulic engineering, underground construction, industrial projects, and specialised mechanical construction, alongside new construction technologies like those used in nuclear power plant construction. To achieve this, vocational schools must standardise training programs and materials, thereby ensuring a consistent quality across the national vocational school system. This includes collaborating with regional and global vocational schools to attract top experts, especially to local vocational schools.

Excellent students require excellent teachers. Therefore, vocational schools should focus on enhancing the capabilities of their teaching staff, ensuring they have master’s or doctoral degrees, especially in construction-related fields. Additionally, organising teacher exchanges with internationally recognised institutions will help improve the knowledge and skills of teachers, ultimately benefiting students’ technical proficiency and work discipline. Furthermore, expanding international cooperation and effectively leveraging foreign expertise will help domestic institutions develop a high-quality workforce, particularly in advanced, high-tech, and specialised fields. The Ministry of Construction and the MND should also invest in upgrading vocational school infrastructures, repair and expand practical training facilities, accelerate digital transformation in education, and foster IT and smart city development training. These measures are aligned with social trends amidst Vietnam's intensive and extensive international integration.

Third, appropriate mechanisms and policies must be established to attract high-quality human resources in the construction sector to serve in the Army. Military and defence construction projects are often carried out in unfavourable natural conditions, including mountainous terrain and unstable geology prone to landslides and subsidence, making construction highly complex. Thus, the workforce for these projects needs to possess considerable skills, technical expertise, and specialised knowledge. As military academies and schools currently lack necessary facilities and advanced technical means to train this workforce, attracting high-quality construction personnel to serve in the Army is essential. The MND should establish specific mechanisms and policies to attract high-quality human resources, particularly construction-related ones, to serve in the Army. This includes close cooperation with the Ministry of Construction and relevant agencies to provide supportive policies that encourage former soldiers and workers to pursue vocational training in construction at a basic level, especially in fields that involve difficult working conditions. Furthermore, it is important to quickly establish specific employment policies for construction-related roles with clearly defined professional standards to improve the expertise of military and civilian personnel involved in managing and executing military and dual-purpose construction projects, which serve both civilian and defence needs.

With the goal of making construction personnel a key advantage for sustainable national development, meeting the requirements of the 4^th Industrial Revolution, proactive international integration, and robust national defence in the new context, it is essential that all sectors, including the Army, enhance construction-related human resource development with a strong emphasis on high-quality personnel.

BUI CHI HIEU

Deputy Chief of the Inspection Commission of the Ministry of Construction Party Committee