Developing high-tech human resources: Elevating PCI

In the Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) rankings, Thai Nguyen has been in the group of localities with good economic management quality in the country for many years. To maintain this position in the context of increasingly fierce competition to attract investment, especially in the high-tech sector, the province is focusing on the core factor: Developing high-quality human resources - the foundation for creating sustainable and long-term competitive advantages.

With a methodical strategy and the synchronous participation of the government, businesses and universities, Thai Nguyen is gradually affirming its position as a high-tech training and production center in the North.

According to the national PCI assessment, Thai Nguyen was positively recorded in the indicators of "Labor training", "Land access" and "Informal costs".

Along with the dynamism of the government, the friendly investment environment has helped the province become an attractive destination for many businesses, including large technology corporations such as Samsung.

However, as the semiconductor, information technology and artificial intelligence (AI) industries become the backbone of the global economy , the decisive factor in attracting investment is no longer just infrastructure or tax incentives, but the ability to supply high-tech human resources locally.

Mr. Doan Nhu Hai, General Director of Thai Nguyen Heat Technology Trading Company, Diem Thuy Industrial Park, said: High-tech projects cannot be operated by ordinary labor. Enterprises need experts and engineers proficient in automation, programming, semiconductor materials, etc., so the connection between enterprises and local training facilities is a prerequisite to retain investors.

Realizing that need, Thai Nguyen is implementing a high-tech human resource development strategy for the 2025-2030 period, aiming to train about 4,500 workers in the semiconductor, information technology and AI industries, including 2,000 people at university and postgraduate levels. This is considered a key step to improve the “Labor Training” index - one of the main pillars of PCI.

Associate Professor Dr. Phung Trung Nghia, Principal of the University of Information Technology and Communications (Thai Nguyen University), said: The province's strength is its multi-disciplinary and multi-field university education system. Schools are proactively innovating training programs in a direction that is closely linked to the needs of businesses, especially high-tech businesses. Cooperation in training, internships and direct recruitment helps students "find a job right after graduation".

The combination of the “three houses” (State, school, enterprise) is showing clear effectiveness. Many major universities under Thai Nguyen University (such as: University of Industrial Technology, University of Science, University of Information Technology and Communication) have signed cooperation agreements with enterprises to help students study in a real environment, access modern production lines and have jobs immediately after graduation.

KD Heat Technology Thai Nguyen Co., Ltd. is a member of KD Group (Japan), specializing in high-frequency heat treatment for components in the motorcycle, automobile, forklift, agricultural and construction machinery industries.

Along with that, the province focuses on attracting selective foreign direct investment (FDI) in the high-tech sector.

In just the first 9 months of 2025, Thai Nguyen has granted new licenses to 16 FDI projects with a total investment capital of 169.8 million USD. The confidence of existing investors is clearly demonstrated by the fact that 36 FDI projects were adjusted to increase capital, with a total additional capital of 192.4 million USD. These figures have raised the total number of valid FDI projects in the province to 232 projects, with a total cumulative registered capital of 11,356.4 million USD.

In particular, industrial parks in the province are a magnet for attracting FDI capital, with 188 valid FDI projects, with a total registered investment capital of 11,003.25 million USD. Investors from Korea, Japan, and Singapore are expanding production in industrial parks: Yen Binh, Diem Thuy, and Song Cong II, creating a great demand for highly skilled human resources, while contributing to improving the quality of local labor.

At the same time, the provincial government continues to strongly improve the quality of economic management, moving towards a service-oriented government, digitizing administrative processes, and shortening the time to process investment procedures. The indicators of "Government dynamism", "Market entry", and "Time cost" have been significantly improved.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Phung Trung Nghia, if 10 years ago, IT students in Thai Nguyen mainly looked for jobs in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, now many choose to stay in the locality because of more attractive career opportunities. This is a positive signal showing that the province's high-tech labor market is clearly taking shape.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/tin-noi-bat/202510/phat-trien-nhan-luc-cong-nghe-cao-nang-tam-pci-2f66d46/