The College of Business Administration and Management signed an agreement on November 23 for offering "double vocational training" for Vietnamese students in Germany with German non-profit education and training organisation SBH Group.

Under the programme, trainees will take an intensive German language course before going on to do a three-year learning-working course in hospitality.

Their tuition fee will be waived and they be paid a basic salary of 550-700 euros per month, with their employers providing them with all the insurance that locals are eligible for.

After graduation they will be given help to find a job at a restaurant, international hotel or luxury resort in Germany with a starting monthly salary of 1,600 – 2,500 euros.

They will be allowed to stay for long and work legally, getting the same wages and other benefits as locals.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “The educational co-operation between CBAM and SBH with practical training programmes can help young people.”

He hoped the programme would be expanded to supply Viet Nam well-trained workers.

German-Vietnamese lawyer Nguyen Xuan Hoang, director of Anwealte am Osktreuz Law Company, said: "We take the responsibility to support and offer legal advice to Vietnamese students and workers to safeguard their legitimate rights … in Germany."

Next year CBAM plans to expand the programme to include medicine, nursing and elderly care. — VNS