Jardine Schindler Viet Nam on June 17 launches the Apprenticeship Programme for sustainable workforce. — VNS File Photo

HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Jardine Schindler Viet Nam signed a partnership agreement with Cao Thang Technical College on June 17 to begin an apprenticeship programme that will train potential employees.

The agreement is the companys first step in collaboration with local educational facilities to develop a high-qualified, sustainable workforce for consistent development.

Under the programme, students from Cao Thang Technical College will take legally required political subjects.

The company will then recruit the best 20 candidates at the end of the first year for the first batch of apprentices, who will enrol in a three-year course, which starts in June and ends in April 2017.

The 20 students will have two years of "dual training", in which they will work as well as attend classes, and one year of intensive training.

The dual-training scheme helps students get practical experience, and upon graduating from the apprenticeship programme, they will have the appropriate level of competency to work for Jardine Schindler Viet Nam as an installation fitter or service technician.

"In the past, our recruitment of technicians encountered many difficulties since most graduates were not equipped with soft skills and did not meet Schindlers global standards," said Ashok Ramachandran, managing director of Jardine Schindler Viet Nam. "The programme aims to build a foundation for the company to reach its goals from a customer and financial perspective."

Dao Khanh Du, director of Cao Thang Technical College, said that, while the Vietnamese workforce is young and large in number, its practical skills are the biggest concern of many employers, as many students study only theory in school.

The partnership between the college and the company will help students solve daily problems at work and enhance their careers, as well as save educational expenses for society, he added.

Jardine Schindler, a worldwide elevator group, opened its factory in the country in 1995. — VNS