A networking dinner took place on Thursday 8 March celebrating the first week of a study tour that welcomed 17 key representatives from Vietnam to Canberra and Melbourne to learn about Australia’s system of Vocational Education and Training.
The activity was a part of the Australian Government-funded program “Promoting Industry Linkages with Vocational Education and Training (VET)” through Aus4Skills, an Aus4Vietnam investment.
The dinner,held at Rydges in Melbourne, was a highlight of the first week of the study tour, and involved invited guests from the Australian logistics sector and training organisations.
Managed by Aus4Skills and hosted by Griffith University’s International Business Development Unit, the networking event gave the Vietnamese a chance to network with representatives from the Victorian Transport Association and the Australian Logistics Council.
Key representatives from Australian Industry Standards (AIS) also attended the event including the CEO, Mr Robert Adams, who gave the keynote speech and Mr Laurie D’Apice, AIS Board Chairman and President for Human Resources for Linfox.
Mr Truong Anh Dung, the Deputy Director General of Vietnam General Directorate of Vocational Training, and Mr Vo Tan Thanh, the Vice-President of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, were two key Vietnamese involved in the impactful program who attended the event.
Mr Truong Anh Dung said that the study tour was an ideal way for the group to see how Australia’s industry-linked VET model works in practice, which he plans to adapt to Vietnam’scontext with stronger engagement with the business community.
“We are keen to support industry to develop a similar model with adaption to Vietnam’s context. On our return, we will be looking to set up a close ‘connection’ between enterprises and vocational education colleges,” he said.
“Six vocational education colleges will be supported. We will look to Australia to provide support to develop quality trainers and assessors.”
The study tour saw the Vietnamese attend a range of activities throughout the week, including workshops, site visits, networking events and presentations from key Australian logistics organisations.
Beginning in Canberra and concluding in Melbourne, all 17 participants were given the opportunity to visit a range of sites and learn from industry experts to help develop action plans based on Australia’s current industry sector skills framework.
The group visited various locations including the Port of Melbourne, Box Hill Tafe, Linfox and Australia Industry Standards where they developed a better understanding of how Australia’s Industry-led VET model works in practice.
Study tour participant, Mr Nguyen Van Chuong, Principal of the Vocational College of Machinery and Irrigation, said that the next step is for the Vietnamese colleges to begin using skilled employees from enterprises to get involved in teacher training.
Following the departure of ten of the participants back to Vietnam, the remaining seven participants spent another three days in Melbourne attending various workshops and presentations up until the final closing ceremony on Wednesday 14 March.