During a National Assembly discussion on the draft amended Law on Cadres and Civil Servants, Da Nang City Party Secretary Nguyen Van Quang said that talented young people working for the state for over 10 years are stuck on labor contracts due to a lack of staffing quotas.

Some overseas-trained PhDs are working in non-specialized commune positions because local authorities could not recruit them as official officers due to the lack of personnel quotas. With the ongoing administrative streamlining, these officers are likely to be excluded from the apparatus.

This has sparked fierce controversy.

Many readers told VietNamNet that truly talented people shouldn’t cling to low-paying jobs at commune-level administrative units, but seek opportunities in businesses, research, or international organizations.

Overseas-educated individuals shouldn’t work in communes or wards, as these roles don’t require high expertise.

Meanwhile, others believe that the current employment mechanism is problematic, which explains why local authorities cannot retain officers with high education levels and talented individuals.

Higher degrees don’t mean talent

Readers question the abilities of overseas-trained PhDs and master’s holders who work as non-specialized officers at commune units with low pay.

Thu Hong, a VietNamNet reader, commented: “A PhD who only seeks common jobs without standing out in a competitive market is just ‘studying for a PhD,’ not ‘being a PhD.’” 

In general, individuals with high education levels, especially those graduating from foreign schools, have numerous well-paid job opportunities in Vietnam, with no need to hunt for jobs at commune’s agencies.

Reader Nguyen Huu Hung said high degree holders don’t mean talent. Meanwhile, some others asked what defines talent: is it just an academic title?

“Why don’t they work for research institutes or training establishments?” one reader asked.

According to Reader Duoc Luong Thanh, truly talented PhDs trained abroad would be hired instantly by agencies or multinationals in Vietnam. 

“Why do they still insist on working in a commune’s non-specialized role? Maybe they seek opportunities for promotion at state agencies and become high-ranking officials in the future?” he said.

If so, they must be disillusioned when non-specialized officers are excluded from the local authority system. 

Reader Le Ngoc Diep agreed that overseas-trained PhDs wouldn’t lack high-paying job offers. It’s about whether they truly studied.

Not all overseas graduates are superior. In the US, Australia, and Europe, alongside prestigious universities, there are many low-tier schools, some even worse than Vietnamese ones. Don’t overvalue degrees, but focus on competence and dedication in performing the job.

Less qualified county staff to be cut first?

While some readers doubt the real capability of the overseas trained PhDs in the story related by Quang, some readers blame policies for failing to utilize talent.

One reader commented that it is a big waste to assign a medical PhD to run a library because this is the wrong job for the expertise.

Reader Tuan Dao suggested that there should be a mechanism that allows local authorities to recruit officers suitable to the qualifications and expertise of people with higher level degrees and titles.

“If individuals are determined to be talented, localities need to retain them for the apparatus,” he said, suggesting that it would be better to retain the excellent officers at commune agencies instead of district-level officers who don’t have higher education degrees or are from local universities. 

Degrees reflect academic achievement, but identical degrees don’t imply equal academic quality, as top-tier universities outrank local ones. Work experience is the second factor. Current salary and income of the candidate is the third. Combining these three factors serves as a precise measure, a “fine scale”, to evaluate work capability and guide hiring or firing decisions.

Some sympathized with talented individuals cut from the system.

“It is understandable why the officers feel discontented when being excluded from the administrative system. Being cut feels like being fired. Resentment’s natural,” reader Ngoc Thuy said.

Many readers confirmed that talented returnees face challenges due to official position limits and streamlining.’

Some individuals studied abroad under state funded programs and have to work for the state as committed before leaving. In many cases, they have to accept to work under fixed-term labor contracts rather than as official workers because of the lack of staffing quotas.

The Vinh