Shortage of high-quality textile and garment workforce: What does the ILO recommend for Vietnam?
Manpower remains a key advantage
In a recently published report, the International Labor Organization (ILO) recognizes Vietnam’s potential to capitalize on the strong growth of the textile and garment market in the coming decades. Although the country’s low labor cost advantage is gradually diminishing, improved competitiveness and better transport infrastructure will help domestic textile and garment manufacturers manage and reduce production costs.
Regarding human resources, the industry benefits from a demographic dividend – Vietnam has a large and relatively young population – along with improvements in vocational education and skill development. These factors provide opportunities to enhance labor productivity and strengthen competitiveness.
This is evident in the sector's workforce growth from nearly 1.8 million workers in 2012 to approximately 3.4 million in 2023, with over 3 million in garment manufacturing and 324,000 in the textile sector.
However, the ILO report also highlights an aging workforce in the textile and garment industry, making it increasingly difficult for businesses to recruit young workers.
The occupational structure has remained relatively stable, with medium-skilled jobs consistently accounting for 92-94% of employment in the sector. However, there has been a noticeable shift within this skill category.
Specifically, jobs in "craft and related trades" are gradually transitioning to "assemblers and machine operators." This reflects the rising trend of automation in production and job restructuring within larger enterprises. As a result, the demand for semi-skilled manual labor is declining, while the need for semi-skilled workers who can operate and maintain machinery is increasing.
The rapid advancement of technology, automation, and artificial intelligence is reshaping both production processes and the labor market in the textile and garment industry. To address these changes, a comprehensive effort to enhance workforce quality is essential.
![]() |
The textile and garment industry is providing jobs for 3.4 million workers. Illustrative image |
Solutions to improve workforce quality
According to the ILO report, Vietnam has 577 public education institutions providing textile and garment-related training programs at three levels: college, intermediate, and elementary. These include 113 colleges, 107 technical high schools, and 357 state-run training centers. Additionally, about 38 universities in Vietnam offer textile-related majors, but enrollment remains challenging due to competition with other academic programs.
Several initiatives, such as the Better Work Vietnam Program, along with various global brands, regularly conduct training sessions for employees and workers. These focus on areas like compliance, soft skills, occupational health and safety, and supply chain management.
Despite ongoing efforts, the number of trained workers remains limited. Between 2015 and 2023 (excluding 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), the textile and garment industry added an average of over 200,000 workers annually. However, trained workers accounted for only about 40% of the total workforce.
To enhance workforce quality, many businesses have implemented on-the-job training tailored to industry-specific skills and practical needs.
The ILO recommends that the government and enterprises improve training effectiveness and implement supportive policies, particularly in developing skills essential for upgrading Vietnam’s textile and garment value chain.
Key measures include:
Boosting productivity and wages while improving working conditions and career progression opportunities to attract and retain workers.
Enhancing the industry's image to attract students and workers by increasing public awareness of the sector’s growth potential and its role in Vietnam’s economy.
Strengthening pre-employment and in-service soft skills training with active participation from multiple stakeholders.
Promoting quality assessment, certification, and accreditation for industry training programs.
Increasing industry involvement in skill development to align training programs with labor market demands.
Improving budget allocation for skills training and workforce development based on industry needs.
By implementing these strategies, Vietnam’s textile and garment sector can strengthen its workforce, improve productivity, and maintain competitiveness in the evolving global market.See also

Streamlining State apparatus to expand development space
13:31 | 26/04/2025 Society

Vietnam steadily marches into new era of growth
16:35 | 21/04/2025 Society

Workers proactively enhance productivity in new era
15:32 | 21/04/2025 Society

Can Tho-Ca Mau expressway project must be completed by December 19: PM
21:49 | 20/04/2025 Society

HCM City makes strides in sustainable poverty reduction
16:49 | 13/04/2025 Society

Binh Dinh ramps up fight against IUU fishing
22:01 | 10/04/2025 Society
See more news

Soc Trang province intensifies efforts to clamp down on illegal fishing
17:34 | 09/04/2025 Society

Consumer protection: No longer a national issue
15:51 | 07/04/2025 Society

Vietnam tightens port and offshore activity control to tackle IUU fishing
22:12 | 05/04/2025 Society

Cordyceps production chain improves lives of ethnic communities
17:48 | 04/04/2025 Society

Vietnam calls on RoK to share expertise in high-speed railway development
16:37 | 01/04/2025 Society

Vietnam, US strengthen higher education cooperation
16:20 | 01/04/2025 Society

Party chief offers incense to fallen heroes in Da Nang
16:53 | 29/03/2025 Society

Addressing bottlenecks in Vietnam’s rice industry
19:02 | 28/03/2025 Society

Over 6.2 billion USD needed for expanding North-South expressway
16:50 | 28/03/2025 Society

Dien Bien promotes high-tech agriculture to drive development in ethnic minority areas
10:34 | 27/03/2025 Province

Streamlining State apparatus to expand development space
13:31 | 26/04/2025 Society

Digitization key to tourism breakthroughs
09:15 | 24/04/2025 Tourism

Vietnam steadily marches into new era of growth
16:35 | 21/04/2025 Society

Petrovietnam: New milestone - New vision for sustainable development
16:21 | 21/04/2025 Vietnamese Brands

Workers proactively enhance productivity in new era
15:32 | 21/04/2025 Society
Multimedia

Proposed names for 34 provincial-level administrative units after mergers
16:42 | 16/04/2025 Infographic

Vietnam-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership
15:55 | 14/04/2025 Infographic

Vietnam's economy thrives in Q1 2025
16:45 | 12/04/2025 Infographic

Infographic: Gold prices fluctuate following US retaliatory tariff announcement
21:45 | 04/04/2025 Infographic

Seven key missions of the National Data Association
20:07 | 30/03/2025 Infographic

14th National Party Congress’s draft documents more revolutionary, action-oriented, highly feasible: PM
16:31 | 16/04/2025 Policy

Party chief requires no disruptions to operations throughout restructuring process
16:12 | 14/04/2025 Policy

District-level local governments to cease operations from July 1: draft law
16:53 | 13/04/2025 Policy

Australian scholar praises Vietnam’s remarkable 50-year transformation
16:28 | 12/04/2025 Policy

Hanoi to develop 254-million-USD industrial cluster
21:13 | 19/04/2025 Industry

Vietnam sets ambitious targets in revised national power development plan
18:56 | 17/04/2025 Industry

Prime Minister urges COMAC to support Vietnam in developing aviation industry
17:12 | 14/04/2025 Industry

Steel industry seeks solutions amid tariff "shock"
17:12 | 13/04/2025 Industry

Ho Chi Minh City’s FDI rebound attracts high-tech giants
21:23 | 19/04/2025 Investment

Korean firms encouraged to invest more in Vietnam’s energy sector
16:31 | 15/04/2025 Investment

Public investment aimed to drive Vietnam’s economic growth
10:48 | 15/04/2025 Investment

Hue calls for investment in the Chan May – Lang Co Economic Zone
23:36 | 11/04/2025 Investment

Remittances to HCM City reach over 2.41 billion USD in first quarter
08:21 | 20/04/2025 Finance-Banking

National committee meets to accelerate ODA, concessional loan disbursement
14:43 | 15/04/2025 Finance-Banking

Vietnam accelerates rollout of 500 trillion VND credit package for infrastructure and technology firms
15:36 | 12/04/2025 Finance-Banking

Hong Kong paves way for Vietnam–China finance link
19:25 | 10/04/2025 Finance-Banking

Vietnam's carbon market: Prudent approach to avoid costly outcomes
08:53 | 18/04/2025 Environment

Moc Chau Milk centers on green development and growth
16:06 | 17/04/2025 Environment

Extra efforts requested to address forest fire consequences in Quang Ninh
16:56 | 16/04/2025 Environment

Hanoi to host major green growth summit this month
16:44 | 11/04/2025 Environment

PM applauds youth entrepreneurship at National Startup Day for Students
21:40 | 20/04/2025 Science - Technology

Nuclear energy development to facilitate green transition: Conference
22:10 | 18/04/2025 Science - Technology

HCM City seeks stronger hi-tech cooperation with US, Japan, RoK
16:47 | 15/04/2025 Science - Technology

Da Nang, RoK to train next generation of Vietnamese software experts
13:24 | 11/04/2025 Science - Technology

Streamlining State apparatus to expand development space
13:31 | 26/04/2025 Society

Vietnam steadily marches into new era of growth
16:35 | 21/04/2025 Society

Workers proactively enhance productivity in new era
15:32 | 21/04/2025 Society

Can Tho-Ca Mau expressway project must be completed by December 19: PM
21:49 | 20/04/2025 Society

Petrovietnam: New milestone - New vision for sustainable development
16:21 | 21/04/2025 Vietnamese Brands

Vietnam Oil and Gas Group renamed Vietnam National Industry - Energy Group
22:18 | 10/04/2025 Vietnamese Brands

Vietnamese enterprises float products at world's largest startup fair in India
21:59 | 05/04/2025 Vietnamese Brands

Philosophy 3C and story of smart consumption
09:15 | 22/03/2025 Vietnamese Brands

Vietnamese cultural values introduced to international friends in Mexico
20:55 | 30/03/2025 Culture

Hung Kings’ Festival 2025: a grand celebration of culture and heritage
15:21 | 30/03/2025 Culture

Vietnam works to seek UNESCO status for Binh Dinh martial arts
18:00 | 29/03/2025 Culture

Nghe An to host ASEAN exhibition this May
16:47 | 24/03/2025 Culture

Digitization key to tourism breakthroughs
09:15 | 24/04/2025 Tourism

Highland products, soul of Son La’s community-based tourism
09:34 | 17/04/2025 Tourism

Vietnam’s scenic landscapes attract Hollywood filmmakers
15:15 | 30/03/2025 Tourism

Positioning unique tourism products to enhance attractiveness of Vietnamese cities
17:56 | 29/03/2025 Tourism