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Vietnam aims to train, retrain or upskill 50,000 graduates to apply AI in priority sectors and develop 10,000 highly specialised AI professionals by 2030 (Decision 1528/QĐ-TTg).
This report asks one question: how can Vietnam ensure more graduates are ready to contribute from the very start of their careers? It draws on a survey of 375 employers and 20 in-depth interviews.
11.5 million workers in Vietnam are in jobs exposed to generative AI, yet fewer than 2% face full automation. The real shift is in tasks: routine work is accelerated, while judgement, communication and verification become more valuable from day one.
A degree opens the door, but the final hiring decision rests on what candidates can show. 44% of employers say relevant work experience can stand in for a prestigious degree, well ahead of professional certification (26%). Even then, they want proof of what the candidate actually did.
The widest gap between what employers need and what graduates deliver is in time management (26 points), followed by problem-solving (23 points). Both are skills tested when work is time-bound and ambiguous. Digital literacy is the only area where graduates broadly meet expectations.
94% of employers have raised their digital and AI expectations of graduates in the past 2–3 years, and 83% say AI is changing their hiring criteria. Employers aren't asking for coders (only 3% are). 79% want graduates who can use AI tools fluently or apply them to real problems in their role.
59% of employers offer internships, but only 15% help shape the curriculum, and 23% have no university partnership at all. An internship becomes a real bridge only when it provides three things: meaningful work, active supervision, and evidence of what the student contributed.
No single party can make graduates job-ready. Government sets the direction, universities build capability, employers shape and validate it, and students take ownership of their growth. Progress should be measured by what graduates contribute in their first months at work.
of employers have raised their digital and AI expectations of graduates in the past 2–3 years.
employers rate graduates' time management as good, even though 80% say it is essential. This is the widest gap of all seven capabilities.
say relevant work experience is the strongest substitute for a prestigious degree.
