Career Orientation for High School Students in the Digital Era in Contemporary Vietnam

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Vietnam— Digital Era Reshapes Career Guidance for Vietnamese High School Students. Research conducted by Nguyen Cong Ky from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, published in January 2026 in the International Journal of Education and Life Sciences (IJELS).

Research conducted by Nguyen Cong Ky confirms that career guidance for high school students in Vietnam must adapt quickly to the changes of the digital age.

This study analyzes how digital technology is changing the job market and why the career guidance system in Vietnamese schools has not fully kept pace with these developments. These findings are important because today's students will enter a world of work driven by artificial intelligence, automation, and big data.

A Labor Market in Transition

Vietnam’s labor market reflects global trends. Repetitive manual jobs are increasingly handled by machines and software, while new roles are expanding in data science, cybersecurity, fintech, AI development, robotics, and digital business. Workers are expected to use digital tools, collaborate online, and adapt to constant technological change. Knowledge, technical skills, and lifelong learning now determine career stability more than traditional job titles.

At the same time, many high school students still lean toward familiar professions such as doctors, teachers, engineers, or government officials. The research notes that limited information about new industries, family expectations, and outdated school guidance systems prevent students from exploring emerging fields in technology and the digital economy.

How the Study Was Conducted

Nguyen Cong Ky analyzed education policies, official government documents, academic studies, and reports from Vietnamese authorities and media. By comparing policy goals with actual conditions in schools, the research identifies gaps between labor market demands and how career guidance is delivered at the high school level. The approach combines document analysis and comparative review rather than surveys or experiments.

Key Findings

The study highlights several major issues and needs:

1. Students lack understanding of the modern job market
Many learners are unaware of fast-growing digital professions or the skills required for them. Career choices often reflect social stereotypes rather than personal interests or labor trends.

2. Digital skills are not yet central in school preparation
Although digital tools dominate workplaces, high school curricula still focus heavily on theory. Practical training in programming, data analysis, and digital platforms remains limited in many schools.

3. Career orientation plays a strategic national role
Effective guidance helps students understand their abilities, build career plans, and prepare for lifelong learning. It also supports Vietnam’s goal of building a high-quality workforce for digital transformation.

4. Essential skills for the digital era
The research groups key competencies into four areas:

• Digital skills: basic software use, programming, data analysis, cybersecurity awareness.
• Soft skills: communication, teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, time management.
• Lifelong learning ability: self-study and adaptability in a changing knowledge economy.
• Foreign language proficiency: especially English, to access global knowledge and job markets.

5. Career pathways should reflect new industries
High-tech fields such as AI, software engineering, blockchain, robotics, and cybersecurity offer major opportunities. Technology integration is also transforming healthcare, marketing, agriculture, education, renewable energy, and the creative arts. Students need exposure to both digital-native and digitally transformed careers.

Practical Solutions for Schools

Nguyen Cong Ky outlines several actions to modernize career guidance:

• Organize dynamic career events involving experts, businesses, and alumni from digital sectors, both offline and online.
• Strengthen school–enterprise partnerships through field visits, internships, and career fairs to give students real workplace exposure.
• Use digital platforms like online career tools and virtual simulations to help students explore professions.
• Provide digital skills training in areas such as coding, graphic design, data analysis, and digital marketing alongside soft skills programs.

These steps aim to make career orientation a continuous educational process rather than a one-time counseling activity.

Why This Matters

Career guidance is no longer just about helping students pick a major. It shapes how young people see their future in a technology-driven society. Well-oriented students are more likely to choose fields that match their talents and labor market needs, reducing dropout rates, career dissatisfaction, and skill shortages. For Vietnam, this directly supports national development and global competitiveness in the digital economy.

Nguyen Cong Ky emphasizes that schools, families, and society must work together. Schools provide knowledge and skills, families offer encouragement, and businesses supply real-world experience. This collaboration builds a generation able to adapt, innovate, and integrate internationally.

Author Profile

Nguyen Cong Ky –University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City.

Research Source

Nguyen Cong Ky. 2026. “Career Orientation for High School Students in the Digital Era in Contemporary Vietnam.”

 International Journal of Education and Life Sciences (IJELS), Vol. 4 No. 1, hlm. 51–64.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijels.v4i1.268

Official URL: https://ntlmultitechpublisher.my.id/index.php/ijels