Manufacturing, IT firms rush to recruit workers

Manufacturing and tech companies are rushing to recruit workers as foreign companies show rising interest in setting up or expanding their factories in Vietnam.

Electronics manufacturer Jabil Vietnam is recruiting 500 workers in Ho chi Minh City, with a bonus of VND3.3 million ($145.62) promised to each new employee.

Other companies in Saigon Hi-Tech Park Training Center, including drugs company Sanofi, along with electronics manufacturers Platel Vina and Intel are also looking for technicians.

HCMC companies need around 30,000 new workers before the annual Tet holiday, which falls in the first week of February this year, according to the city’s Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.

After Tet, they need up to 75,000 more, it said, adding that information technology, electric and electronics are the main sectors recruiting.

A recent report by recruitment company Navigos shows that in the north, many new electronics manufacturing projects from China are looking to recruit staff.

But these factories have difficulties in finding the right people as they are located far away from big cities and there are few fluent Chinese-speaking workers.

Navigos says there is large competition for workers in the IT industry, especially in artificial intelligence, Big Data and blockchain, due to the shortage of talents.

Since the last quarter financial companies are also looking for IT personnel, which shows the sector could post higher demand for these workers this year, the report said.

Global IT companies are investing in Vietnam by establishing representative offices or research and development centers in Hanoi, HCMC and Da Nang City, it added.

In manufacturing, multinationals are looking for senior Vietnamese leaders to hold key positions like director of the Asia Pacific region or Southeast Asia, Navigos stated.

“This shows Vietnamese capabilities have risen to secure key regional positions.”