The student who took a gap year as a construction worker returned to school to become valedictorian of the construction industry.

Having lost his direction in studying and chosen the wrong major, Nguyen Dai Phat, a student at Van Lang University, took a gap year to work as a construction worker. After that, he returned to school and became valedictorian of the civil engineering major.

Two shipper friends and the promise to receive their engineering degrees ahead of schedule

Coming from a rural area in Bac Lieu province, his parents worked in shrimp farming, so Phat's family's economy was not very good, sometimes even having to borrow money. During his studies, Phat did not receive much guidance in choosing a major, so when he took the high school graduation exam, Phat did not know what major he liked. In 2019, Phat chose to study automotive engineering technology at a college. The reason for choosing this major was because he listened to his close friend who was also studying there. After finishing the first semester, Phat decided to stop because he felt it was not suitable.

Nguyen Dai Phat is the valedictorian of the Civil Engineering major at Van Lang University.

KIM NGOC NGHIEN

Phat stopped studying but still did not want to return to his hometown, but stayed in Ho Chi Minh City to work as a construction worker in Tan Binh District. Phat said that this job was very hard, he had to do whatever anyone told him to do, from carrying materials, helping with electrical wiring... At that time, Phat earned about 9 million VND/month from construction work, a pretty good income compared to a 19-year-old boy at that time. However, after working for 2 months, the project was completed, and at this time Phat had no more work, so he was quite worried about the future. During his time as a construction worker, Phat realized that this job was too hard, and in the long run, it almost sacrificed his health. "I just realized that if I kept working as a construction worker, I would only stop there in 10 or 20 years, unable to develop further. So I went back to university," Phat said. With clear orientation and practical experience, this time Phat realized that he loved the field of construction engineering, so he enrolled at Van Lang University in September 2020. In the first two semesters, Phat studied and delivered goods to make ends meet . “I was aware that my family was not well off, and returning to university would be a burden for my parents in the countryside and my sister. Therefore, I always tried to register for classes in the morning, deliver goods until about 7 p.m. in the afternoon, then turn off the app and spend the rest of the time reviewing. With the delivery job, I earn from 5 to 6 million VND/month to cover living expenses,” Phat shared. During his studies, Phat received 7 scholarships, worth from 15 to 100% of tuition. Because he graduated a year late, Phat always focused and wanted to graduate early. Therefore, from the end of the second year, Phat temporarily stopped his delivery job. There was a semester when Phat registered for 11 courses, thanks to which he graduated a year earlier than expected. "If I didn't graduate early, according to the school's schedule, I would have defended my graduation thesis in January 2025," Phat said.

Phat (left) is said to actively participate in movement activities.

NVCC

Phat graduated with honors and became valedictorian of the civil engineering major with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.24/4.0. Phat said that he achieved this result thanks to his diligence and dedication in studying: “When I was in high school, I was good at subjects like history and geography, but only average in math, physics and chemistry. Therefore, when I was in university, I had a lot of difficulties with subjects related to calculations. If I didn't understand something, I would ask the teachers to explain it again. I also often asked some classmates for help and persevered in studying until I understood the problem thoroughly,” Phat shared. Dr. Vu Ho Nam, lecturer of the Faculty of Construction, Van Lang University, commented: “As Phat’s homeroom teacher, I have the opportunity to observe and work directly with him throughout his studies. Phat always leaves a strong impression, polite and willing to help his friends. Phat is a responsible and good-listening student, not only in his studies but also in extracurricular activities.”

Dr. Nam added: “One of the things I like most about Phat is his ability to listen and complete assigned exercises, projects and tasks well. He not only completes tasks on time and meets requirements, but also demonstrates good critical thinking. Phat often raises questions and constructive criticism to better understand learning problems and find more creative solutions.”

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chang-sinh-vien-gap-year-lam-phu-ho-quay-lai-truong-tro-thanh-thu-khoa-nganh-xay-dung-185240810140935355.htm