Demand for jobs is projected to rise in the sectors of energy efficiency and environmental protection. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam is moving towards green growth, hence resulting in an increasing demand for green jobs and green skills in the labour market.
As per the International Labour Organisation (ILO), green jobs contribute to preserving or restoring the environment in traditional sectors such as manufacturing and construction, or in new, emerging green sectors such as renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Abla Safire, a senior economist at the World Bank (WB), said in addition to 39 green occupations, Vietnam has 88 other occupations, accounting for 41% of total employment, with the potential of turning green. This shows the significant benefits that can arise from greening the economy.
Since 2022, ManpowerGroup Vietnam has been assisting many businesses in the countryin recruiting talents for hundreds of green positions, including full-time jobs and labour leasing. To date, the highest demand for these vacancies comes from the manufacturing sector (48%), energy (34%), agriculture (11%), and technology (4%).
Sharing insights into the increasing demand for green jobs in Vietnam, Andree Mangels, General Director of ManpowerGroup Vietnam, said from the company's recruitment and labour leasing experience, local businesses are increasingly valuing the practice of 'going green' in their operations.
Vietnam has established cooperative ties on green growth with international organisations, associations and many countries such as Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The Prime Minister has officially issued a decision approving the national green growth strategy for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. The decision creates favourable conditions for businesses operating in Vietnam to promote sustainable development activities. Such factors will drive an increasing demand for green jobs in the near future.
Although the demand for green jobs in Vietnam is forecast to increase, the current salary levels for them are unlikely to rise.
Pham Ngoc Toan, Director of the Centre for Information, Strategy Analysis and Forecast under the Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs, highlighted the need to create more satisfactory employment for workers in the field.
Nguyen Thi Nga, a WB expert, noted that while the current salary may not be attractive, along with the increasing demand, the criteria for compliance are becoming stricter, so salaries may be adjusted upwards in the next 10-15 years.
It is easy to see that recruitment advertisements that mention high corporate responsibility for the community and the environment often attract more applicants, said Nguyen Thanh Huong, Country Human Resources Manager of ManpowerGroup Vietnam.
The perspective of employees on sustainable development is also changing. A survey showed that generation Y (those born between 1981 and 1996) is globally leading the growth rate of talent in the green sector. Their annual growth rate is 13% between 2015 and 2021. Up to three-fourths of them are willing to accept lower salaries to work in environmentally responsible businesses.
Clearly, the demand for green positions worldwide is increasing, and Vietnam is not an exception in this trend. Therefore, the Southeast Asian nation will need to focus on investing in workers’ capacity regarding digital and social skills. Better skills are expected to help employees meet requirements of environmentally- friendly jobs.
According to WB experts, in addition to salaries, the promotion of green employment in Vietnam requires regular monitoring of the impact of green growth on employment. This involves integrating green employment statistics reports to assess the impact of the green transition on the labour market./.
