Part 4: Creating sustainable growth space
To build up a more civilized, modern and comprehensively developed Binh Duong, experts suggest that the province must strongly change to a development model based on science, technology and innovation. Science, technology and high-quality human resources should serve as breakthrough pillars, driving pioneering advancements and taking full advantage of green and smart development trends to attract high-quality investment projects.
Breakthroughs in science, technology and digital transformation
According to Nguyen Van Khoa, CEO of FPT Group, technology is the “key” for Binh Duong to accelerate its growth. To achieve rapid and sustainable economic expansion, the province must intensify institutional reforms by establishing transparent regulations and incentive policies that support businesses investing in high-tech industries. Additionally, Binh Duong needs to make strong investment in digital infrastructure, including the development of data centers, smart logistics networks and digitalized industrial zones to optimize economic efficiency and enhance its global competitiveness.
Assoc. Prof. - Dr. Nguyen Van Trinh, former Director of Ho Chi Minh city Cadre Academy also emphasized that public services play a crucial role in driving economic growth. Strengthening the use of digital technology in State management, developing e-government and building a smart State management system based on digital technology will not only accelerate digital transformation, but also enhance public service delivery, reduce costs and save time for citizens and businesses, contributing to attracting investment projects and promoting economic growth.
With the perspective of taking people and businesses as the service center, in 2025, Binh Duong determines to continue developing digital infrastructure, applying big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technology in management and operations. The province is actively and effectively implementing the Politburo’s Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW and the Government’s Action Program on breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation and national digital transformation. Binh Duong is also accelerating the execution of the Project to develop applications of data on population, electronic identification and authentication for national digital transformation for the 2022-2025 period and a vision to 2030 (Project No.06). By integrating comprehensive data across local and national systems, Binh Duong aims at enhancing the digital ecosystem, making it easier and safer for citizens and businesses to access digital services.
According to Dr. Mai Huu Tin, Chairman of provincial Business Federation, Binh Duong needs to set a goal of becoming the provincial government with the best technology and solutions in Vietnam right in the 2025 - 2030 term of provincial Party Committee, contributing to creating a solid foundation for growth in all three driving forces: Export, consumption and investment. This will help Binh Duong ensure long-term stable development...
Ensuring a stable workforce for business and production
One of Binh Duong’s current challenges is a labor shortage, especially in high-quality human resources. From the beginning of 2025, many businesses have been seeking to recruit a large number of workers. According to Pham Van Tuyen, Deputy Director of provincial Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (DoLISA), forecasts indicate that businesses in the province will need to hire around 70,000 – 80,000 workers this year. The demand-driven vocational training model, which has been implemented by local educational institutions, has shown positive results. However, as one of the country’s major industrial hubs, Binh Duong continues facing a shortage of laborers.
In addition to regularly providing information and updating labor supply and demand fluctuations, Mr. Tuyen said that in the coming time, along with supporting businesses to post recruitment information and recruitment needs, provincial DoLISA will further increase support for businesses to connect and cooperate with vocational education institutions in the province to train and improve the quality of on-site laborers.
In reality, when investors explore opportunities in Binh Duong, they prioritize two key factors: infrastructure and the availability of a highly skilled workforce, especially in priority industries that Binh Duong is actively promoting for investment. To attract more high-tech projects, securing highly qualified human resources is still a top priority. According to Jesper Hassellund Mikkelsen, Senior Vice President of Asia Operations and General Manager of LEGO Manufacturing Vietnam in VSIP III, the company doubled its workforce in 2024 in preparation for operations and is now accelerating recruitment efforts. In 2025, this figure is expected to triple. "We have successfully recruited many high-quality employees thanks to our strong partnership with Eastern International University. Additionally, we offer intensive training programs, combining both domestic and international training. This initiative will continue until the end of Q1-2025, allowing hundreds of employees to gain hands-on experience across various manufacturing processes", Mr. Mikkelsen shared.
Currently, Binh Duong is home to eight universities and has been actively implementing its Smart City Project. The province aims at becoming a leading hub in Vietnam with global competitiveness in attracting, training and retaining scientific and technical talents to drive innovation and economic growth. Assoc. Prof.- Dr. Nguyen Quoc Dung, Director of the Regional Political Academy II emphasized that developing a high-quality workforce to support a knowledge-based economy is crucial for Binh Duong to achieve its goals and avoid the middle-income trap. "Binh Duong must continue building a high-standard education and training system that meets international benchmarks, with a strong focus on science and technology. Additionally, the province should give priority to training a highly skilled workforce and implement competitive policies to attract and retain talents", he stated.
In 2025, Binh Duong's key socio-economic development task is still the priority implementation of provincial Planning for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. Accordingly, Binh Duong further innovates its development model, focusing on developing new ecosystems, smart industrial ecosystems, taking innovation and science - technology as the driving force, taking the development of high-quality human resources as the focus, on the foundation of the province's development philosophy: "Effective investment environment - Harmonious humane society - Dynamic and constructive government".
Reported by Ngoc Thanh-Translated by Kim Tin
