[vlr.vn] There are many works to do to “clear the flow of logistics” to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods, in which supporting the improvement of logistics specialized training is urgently needed. Human resources for the logistics industry is one of the “bottlenecks” in development strategies.

The presence of STC Group

Recently, in Hanoi, STC Group and Vietnam Transport Safety Association co-organized an important logistics seminar with the theme “Global trends in Human Resources Training in Port, Logistics, Maritime and Maritime Safety & Security”.

Who is STC? “STC Group, based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, is a leading educational and research organization in the world in the maritime, logistics, transport and supply chain processes industries“, Chairman of STC Group, Mr. Frist Gronsveld, said.

Determining great potential in Vietnam, STC has operated in Vietnam since 1993. So far, STC has completed many projects on inland water transport, training programs, joint venture investment, student supports, scholarship programs and labor contracts as well as consulting for companies and the Government to promote the industry in the Netherlands focusing on Vietnam market.

Mr. Adson Hofman, Area Manager South East Asia of STC Group, said by analyzing, programming, testing and optimizing database performance based on Transport Chain Simulation® software, STC-Vietnam specialists developed various transport chain simulation scenarios for adapting the human resource training needs in domestic transport, shipping, teaching and consulting services of STC-Group at simulation centers in affiliates around the globe.

Simulation scenarios are developed for human resource training at all levels: vocational training, secondary, college, university, master, and doctorate to special situations on demands. Ship-Owners and shipping companies around the world are always in need of training their crew members working on-board in specific locations with certain duties.

Many students and sailors have been trained to perform various duties on inland vessels from deck cadets to captains on the STC-Group simulation system. To meet the requirements and demands of all the above courses, the database of thousands of kilometers of rivers in European countries from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium to Vietnam has been built.

“Benefits of economic have never been our concern. What we really want is to behold the development of the quality and quantity on Vietnam’s human resources in maritime, port and logistics fields and be contributed through two units, UT-STC and Tan Cang-STC”, Mr. Frits Gronsveld, Chairman of STC Group said on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of being present in Vietnam.

Logistics bottlenecks

According to the statistics based on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI), in 2018 Vietnam ranked 39th out of 160 countries, behind Thailand (ranked 32) and Singapore (ranked 7).

Tan Cang is one of the enterprises effectively associated with STC Group

Although this result is an improvement from the 53rd position in 2012, a recent study still shows that Vietnam’s national logistics system capacity still has many problems in all aspects, including infrastructure, legal framework, capacity of logistics service providers as well as the awareness and skills of the units using logistics services (production, shippers). For instance, in terms of time and cost for major import and export activities, Vietnam still lags behind other countries in East Asia and the Asia Pacific, and these factors become barriers to global connectivity and promoting trade as well as expanding markets.

Vietnam is a potential market of logistics, but sadly logistics is being a “bottleneck” in the development progress. This is the reason for the “Vietnam Logistics Forum – 7th round” – the largest annual event in the Logistics service industry held two days ago in Da Nang.

In the previous six times, the results of the VLF Forum have successfully created a nationally connected international forum; 

demonstrating strongly the voice of the business community and the locality operating in the field of Logistics; non-stop/ incessantly establishing, strengthening and strengthening the linkages among the related parties; organize periodical delegations to conduct surveys in many countries; The Prime Minister has approved the Action Plan to improve the competitiveness and development for Logistics until 2025; published the annual Logistics report of Vietnam; etc.

In the 7th round, the VLF Forum had continued to mention and discuss the strategic and practical issues for Vietnam’s logistics industry in relation to the domestic and international economic context and the trend of digital technology.

There are lots of work to do to “clear the flow of logistics” for improving the competitiveness of Vietnamese goods, however, the supports to improve the quality of specialized training in Logistics is extremely urgent.

The contribution and sharing of STC Group’s experience in human resources training on the Logistics industry in the Netherlands and global is a good chance to give valuable contribute to “unfreeze the flow” of Vietnam’s logistics.

By Ngo Duc Hanh