Trainees and their families with PAM programme staff before migrating to Germany. Photo: GIZ
On 8 April 2024, the PAM programme held a farewell ceremony for two of its outstanding graduates, Hồ Nhựt Khánh and Lê Việt Hòa. The two graduates of LILAMA 2 International Technology College arrived in Germany on the afternoon of 9 April 2024 (Viet Nam time) and will work as highly skilled metal-cutting technicians in the town of Beilngries, Federal Republic of Germany. This is the beginning of an exciting chapter for young Vietnamese people, as well as for the strong partnership between Viet Nam and the Federal Republic of Germany in the field of training and labour migration.
At the farewell ceremony, Mr Santiago Alonso Rodriguez, Head of Economic Cooperation and Development at the German Embassy in Viet Nam, highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the two countries in developing talent and promoting international exchange. Mr Rodriguez said: "After graduating from LILAMA 2 International Technology College, you (the graduates) will begin your careers as highly qualified technicians at a company in Bavaria. This is a great opportunity for your professional and personal development and for strengthening the bridge between Viet Nam and Germany. On behalf of the German Embassy in Ha Noi, we wish you every success in your new jobs in Germany."
Remarks by Santiago Alonso Rodriguez, Head of Economic Cooperation and Development, German Embassy.
Also attending the ceremony was Mr Nguyễn Khánh Cường, Rector of LILAMA 2 International Technology College, where Khánh and Hòa were trained as metal-cutting technicians in line with international standards. Mr Cường expressed his pride in Khánh's and Hòa's success and wished them all the best in their future careers in Germany.
The two PAM graduates with their metal-cutting teacher.
Hồ Nhựt Khánh, a PAM trainee who had the honour of meeting German Federal President Steinmeier during the President's visit to Viet Nam in January 2024, expressed his excitement as he prepared to start a new life in Germany. Before leaving for Germany, Khánh felt many emotions that were hard to put into words. "I feel very lucky to have taken part in the PAM programme, which gave me the opportunity to pursue my passion for metal cutting and the German language. Despite many challenges, this journey has helped me understand myself better and strive to reach my goals. A new chapter is opening up new career and life opportunities for me, but there are also quite a few barriers, such as becoming fluent in German. Nevertheless, I believe I can overcome these challenges, integrate into my new life and do my very best at work."
Presenting souvenirs to the trainees: photographs of the PAM graduation ceremony and of the German President's visit to Viet Nam (January 2024).
The PAM programme has supported 50 trainees in Viet Nam; a further nine trainees will migrate in the coming months to work in Germany as skilled workers in metal cutting. Fourteen PAM graduates are continuing to college-level studies in metal cutting, and 18 have entered the Vietnamese labour market as skilled workers. The graduates received scholarships and benefited from training in line with international standards. They will contribute their skills to the development of the Vietnamese and German economies. The positive impact of the PAM programme on the German and Vietnamese labour markets marks a significant success in cooperation between Viet Nam and Germany on vocational training and development-oriented skilled labour migration.
Group photo with PAM graduates and their families.
The programme "Partnership Approaches for Development-Oriented Vocational Training and Labour Migration" (PAM) is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).