undergraduate

The employment rate of new graduates has been significantly improved by adopting the work-based learning methods and by offering internships. 

Public and private universities in Danang have already partnered with and arranged visits to 300 local companies, to broaden internship and career opportunities. Learning theoretically, first year DTU students can meanwhile go on field trips. The faculties of Hospitality and Tourism and Electrical Engineering run 3 to 6 trips a year for students to improve their self-confidence and accumulate invaluable practical skills. 

Ms. Nguyen Thi Quynh Hoa, Vice-Dean of English at the Danang University Foreign Languages, stated that, during the last semester, students were sent for eight weeks to companies where English is used for international transactions, translation and drafting documents. They also worked in the international cooperation departments at Danang University. She said: “Students need to gain more practical skills now, so these field trips are vital.” Nguyen Chi Bao, a first-year student of Hospitality and Tourism, said that he and his colleagues were excited to go on a recent visit to a top hotel in Danang. 

The benefits may vary by university and faculty, as many students just go on field trips or internships just once a year. Quite often, companies can’t take on students, due to high demand, travelling expenses or safety concerns. To remedy this, a work-based learning method, used in the Mekong Education and Training project implemented the United States Agency, USAID COMET, is now being applied in universities nationwide.

Recently, Danang University held a seminar on this model for their lecturers to consider in the near future. Associate Professor Vo Trung Hung, Head of the Department of Technology Science and International Cooperation at Danang University, said that field trips should no longer be viewed as problematic. 

For example, students can now observe the operation of production lines and ask relevant questions. They can also get a better idea of what their future working environment will look like. These simple activities can help them refine their attitudes about study and work. 

Associate Professor Phan Minh Duc, Vice-Provost of Science and Technology at Danang University said that work-based learning will help students to put the theory they learned into practice. It is important to consider implementing this model to enable new graduates to find jobs faster than now.