Starting work early to take charge of their future – that is why Thu Hường and Anh Tú chose HHT on their journey of "choosing a trade – choosing a school". Neither fanciful nor far-fetched, their dream comes down to a single word: JOBS.

Having watched their older brother and cousins learn and grow while studying at Hanoi College of High Technology, Thu Hường and Anh Tú decided to give up their places at Thach That Upper Secondary School – the top-ranked school in the area and the dream and goal of every pupil in the district. As soon as the Ha Noi Department of Education and Training announced the admission cut-off scores for upper secondary schools in the capital, Thu Hường and Anh Tú went with their families to HHT to complete the enrolment procedures, officially becoming new K15 students on the college's dual-qualification programme.

Giving up their places at Thach That Upper Secondary School – the district's top-ranked school – Thu Hường and Anh Tú chose the 9+ college programme at HHT.

Telling us more, Thu Hường said: "Whichever school you attend, as long as you work hard, make an effort and stay committed to your goals, you will succeed. Both Anh Tú and I plan to study in Korea after completing the 9+ college programme at HHT. We are grateful to the college's teachers, who always accompany us, care for us and do everything they can to support students. Gone are the days when people thought that only weak students choose vocational training..."

High-achieving students "going against the tide" to choose HHT:

Vũ Thu Hường earned the title of EXCELLENT student for four consecutive years at lower secondary school (with an overall average above 8.5) and won a district-level consolation prize in Literature. Given her abilities, it was no surprise that she achieved a total of 39.5 points (Literature 8.0, Mathematics 8.0 and Foreign Language 7.5), while Kiều Anh Tú scored 34.25 points in Ha Noi's 2024 entrance examination for public Grade 10. Both were admitted to their first choice, Thach That Upper Secondary School (Thach That district, Ha Noi).

Despite considerable pressure from both sides of the family, who disagreed, and opposing views from colleagues, friends and neighbours, the family of Mr Thành and Ms Linh (parents of Vũ Thu Hường) and Ms Trần Thị Thủy (parent of Kiều Anh Tú) stood firm on the path they had mapped out for their children.

Explaining his child's choice, Mr Vũ Văn Thành (an army officer and father of Vũ Thu Hường) said: "Although I work away from home and only come back at weekends, I always make the most of that precious time to guide my children's future. Our family learnt about the college through the district radio station. We passed the information on to the children over a family meal. To our surprise, they were interested, then looked into it themselves and applied... For me, happiness is simple: that my children and grandchildren can study and work in line with their passions and wishes."

The college's Board of Rectors meets and congratulates the two new students and their families.

In addition to his two children, 14 other young relatives in Mr Vũ Văn Thành's family (Dai Dong commune, Thach That district), all with good academic records, have enrolled as new students, are currently studying or have graduated in various disciplines at Hanoi College of High Technology.

"Everyone around me was talking and saying that our family was going against the norm. But I see it differently: choosing a practice-oriented college or secondary vocational programme is gradually becoming the choice of many young people. This is a shift in line with the direction of the economy and also reflects positive changes in the way students perceive and choose their career paths. The many EXCELLENT students who have succeeded through this training model at HHT are the clearest proof that vocational training is no longer the last resort for Generation Z..." said Ms Trần Thị Thủy (a pharmacist and parent of Kiều Anh Tú).

"You need the flour to make the dough":

It can be said that in recent years, the practical results of the college's efforts to innovate and improve the quality of vocational education in line with regional and international standards, and its commitment to jobs immediately after graduation, have changed the perceptions of parents and students. In particular, practice-oriented college and secondary vocational programmes offer outstanding advantages: short study periods, low tuition fees, the possibility for students to take part in several training programmes at once, and a high degree of practical application of vocational skills. At the same time, the college commits to helping students find employment. Enterprises even invest in sending learners on practical training and internships while they are still at college; many disciplines are trained to order for enterprises, and students are paid by enterprises while still studying. As a result, Hanoi College of High Technology has attracted a large number of high-quality candidates.

To attract high-quality students and ease the financial burden on families with several children studying at the college, in the 2024–2025 academic year Hanoi College of High Technology is continuing to offer merit scholarships and tuition support for students whose siblings enrol at the college.

Congratulations to Vũ Thu Hường and Kiều Anh Tú on joining the HHT "family home". The road ahead is still long, but we can sense in them the strength of resilience and determination, with passion and faith in the goals they are striving for...

In addition to the children and grandchildren of the families of Mr Vũ Văn Thành and Ms Doãn Diệu Linh and of Ms Trần Thị Thủy (Dai Dong, Thach That, Ha Noi), according to preliminary statistics, Hanoi College of High Technology currently has 82 students who are siblings or relatives of one another.