In a strategic move to align its workforce with the demands of a rapidly digitizing global economy, Ho Chi Minh City has officially approved a groundbreaking scheme to weave artificial intelligence and big data into the very fabric of its vocational education system. This ambitious initiative aims to transcend traditional training models by creating a technologically advanced, responsive, and highly personalized learning environment for the city’s nearly seven million workers. The plan represents a significant public investment in human capital, designed to bridge the skills gap and ensure that the local labor force is not just prepared for but can thrive in the face of widespread digital transformation. By modernizing how skills are taught and acquired, the city is positioning itself as a forward-thinking leader in workforce development, directly addressing the shifting labor needs of the modern era.
A Digital Revolution in Vocational Education
The AI-Powered Learning Platform
At the heart of this comprehensive overhaul is the development and implementation of a domestically built, AI-driven online learning platform, envisioned as the central nervous system of the new educational ecosystem. This platform is engineered to dismantle the one-size-fits-all approach to vocational training by offering highly personalized learning pathways. Students will be empowered to pursue training flexibly, tailoring their educational journey to their unique abilities, specific needs, and long-term career aspirations. The system is designed to adapt in real-time, providing customized content and pacing that traditional classroom settings cannot match. The city has set a highly ambitious target for this digital hub, aiming for its adoption by over 80% of all vocational learners by 2030. This goal underscores a commitment not only to creating advanced tools but also to ensuring their widespread accessibility and integration, fundamentally changing how a generation of workers engages with upskilling and professional development.
The sophistication of the new online platform extends far beyond simple content delivery, leveraging the power of big data to create a truly dynamic and intelligent learning environment. By analyzing vast datasets on student performance, learning preferences, and career outcomes, the system’s AI algorithms will continuously refine and optimize the educational experience for each user. This data-driven approach will enable the platform to predict learning challenges, recommend relevant coursework, and even align training modules with emerging trends in the local and global job markets. Consequently, the platform will function less like a static library of information and more like a responsive, intelligent mentor. This continuous feedback loop ensures that the curriculum remains relevant and effective, equipping learners with the most in-demand skills and providing a direct, adaptive link between vocational training and the evolving needs of the city’s industries.
Building a Future-Ready Infrastructure
To anchor this digital transformation in a robust physical reality, the initiative mandates sweeping upgrades to the infrastructure across Ho Chi Minh City’s 481 vocational education institutions. This foundational phase of the plan is critical, as it ensures that the technological aspirations are supported by capable hardware and connectivity. A primary objective is to equip every single institution with the necessary information technology infrastructure, including reliable high-speed internet access and sufficient computing equipment for both students and educators, by 2030. Furthermore, the plan specifies a baseline for modern teaching environments, requiring each college to establish at least one smart interactive classroom. These classrooms will feature advanced audiovisual tools and collaborative technologies, moving beyond passive lectures to facilitate engaging, hands-on learning experiences that mirror the modern, tech-driven workplace. This comprehensive infrastructural investment is designed to create a consistent, high-quality technological baseline across the entire vocational system.
Beyond establishing a universal standard of technological readiness, the plan also provides for the creation of specialized, high-tech learning centers to foster advanced skills. A key component of this strategy is the establishment of dedicated AI laboratories in at least 10% of eligible institutions. These labs will serve as innovation hubs, providing students with critical hands-on experience with emerging AI applications and complex datasets, moving theoretical knowledge into practical application. This direct exposure is considered essential for preparing a new generation of technicians and specialists capable of working with sophisticated intelligent systems. Complementing these advanced physical spaces, the city will also develop a centralized, shared digital learning repository and a comprehensive digital library. These resources will aggregate and provide access to a wealth of high-quality training materials, research, and courseware, with a particular focus on supporting programs in priority vocational fields and ensuring that all students, regardless of their institution’s specific resources, can access top-tier educational content.
Strategy and Implementation
Reimagining Curriculum and Pedagogy
The initiative’s scope extends well beyond hardware, aiming to fundamentally reshape teaching methodologies and the very content of educational programs. All vocational institutions will be required to transition toward personalized teaching approaches, moving away from standardized lesson plans. This pedagogical shift mandates that educators leverage AI-powered tools to create and design a broad and diverse array of learning materials, including interactive simulations, adaptive assessments, and customized study guides. The goal is to empower instructors to cater to different learning styles and paces within the same cohort, ensuring that no student is left behind while also challenging those who are ready to advance. This focus on AI-assisted instructional design is intended to foster a more engaging, effective, and student-centric learning environment. It transforms the role of the teacher from a simple lecturer to a facilitator of individualized learning journeys, supported by intelligent systems that provide deep insights into student progress and comprehension.
A core pillar of the new educational strategy is the deep and meaningful integration of AI competencies directly into vocational training curricula across all disciplines. Recognizing that artificial intelligence is becoming a general-purpose technology impacting nearly every industry, the plan sets a clear target: by 2030, 60% of all vocational programs must incorporate AI-related knowledge and skills at a level appropriate to their field. This does not mean every student will become an AI developer; rather, it ensures that future mechanics, administrators, healthcare technicians, and logistics specialists understand how AI will impact their roles and are equipped to work alongside intelligent systems. This forward-looking approach ensures that graduates are not only proficient in their chosen trade but are also digitally literate and prepared for the modern, AI-enhanced workplace. By embedding these competencies into the core curriculum, the city aims to future-proof its workforce, making its graduates more adaptable, competitive, and valuable in an increasingly automated world.
A Coordinated Path Forward
The successful execution of this ambitious, multi-year plan hinges on a clearly defined governance structure and a phased implementation roadmap. The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee has established a collaborative framework, designating the Department of Education and Training as the lead agency. This department will be responsible for the overall strategic planning, budget allocation, and management of the rollout across the city. To ensure a holistic approach, other key agencies will play specialized roles. The Department of Home Affairs is tasked with a critical human element: developing and implementing capacity-building programs for the administrative and teaching staff who will be at the forefront of this digital transition. Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology will provide essential technical guidance, ensuring the chosen technologies are sound and fostering vital connections between the vocational schools and the city’s broader tech ecosystem, including startups and established tech firms.
The implementation itself is structured as a deliberate, multi-stage process designed to build momentum and ensure sustainability. The initial phase, which begins in 2026, involves comprehensive planning and detailed needs assessments to tailor the city-wide strategy to the specific conditions of each institution. Following this foundational work, the period from 2026 to 2028 will focus on the development and piloting of the core AI-powered teaching software and the online learning platform. This allows for iterative improvements based on early feedback from educators and students. The final and most capital-intensive phase, running through 2030, will see the broader rollout of investment in facilities and the widespread upgrading of IT infrastructure across all 481 institutions. This meticulously planned, concerted effort is geared toward establishing a smart and resilient learning environment that will ultimately better equip the city’s 6.85 million workers for the future.
