The 2026 Vietnamese prime minister's dialogue with young people took place on October 15. Its theme was the role of young people in startups and innovation, and their contribution to economic growth and job creation.
The dialogue was attended by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Tra, representatives of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union and 300 delegates representing more than 21 million young people nationwide.
Reviewing youth employment policy
Young participants discussed employment amid the growth of artificial intelligence and automation, support for young scientists applying research in practice, and access to capital for startups with government and ministry leaders.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said young people had achieved results in education, scientific research, innovation, entrepreneurship and community volunteering, but still faced difficulties. Some young people's skills do not meet labor-market requirements, support mechanisms for research and startups have not made a breakthrough, and resources for youth development remain limited.
Rapid labor-market changes require government agencies to prepare workers for new occupations and help young people improve their knowledge, skills and ability to adapt. The prime minister ordered ministries and agencies to turn party policies and resolutions into practical action programs.
The government will include youth-development indicators in the preparation and implementation of five-year and annual plans, programs, projects and schemes for socio-economic development. The Central Youth Union will be able to comment on government socio-economic development and public-investment programs and collect proposals from young people, especially young entrepreneurs and business owners.
The prime minister ordered the Ministry of Home Affairs to implement Vietnam's Youth Development Strategy to 2030, improve forecasts of workforce and labor-market needs, and strengthen links between supply and demand, especially in new occupations. The ministry must work with the Central Youth Union to develop advice, job-search services and recruitment matching on digital platforms, and review policies on youth employment and professional skills. It must propose new, stronger and more feasible youth-support mechanisms in the first quarter of 2027.
Developing young specialists for strategic sectors
The prime minister ordered the Ministry of Science and Technology to implement the restructuring project for national science, technology and innovation programs for 2026–2035 and promote research commissioned around practical needs. Capable young scientists and engineers should be given opportunities to take part in research, propose topics and lead research tasks. The ministry must work with the Central Youth Union and the Vietnam Youth Federation to list strategic technologies and products suited to young people's abilities and involve them in solving major problems for sectors and local authorities.
The Ministry of Science and Technology must study a mechanism for developing highly qualified young workers in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, aerospace and nuclear energy, and report to the government in the fourth quarter of 2026. The prime minister also ordered wider access for businesses and young scientists to state-funded research facilities, laboratories and shared infrastructure, as well as stronger cooperation between the state, research institutions and businesses to transfer and commercialize research results.
The Ministry of Finance was ordered to improve mechanisms for diversifying funding for young entrepreneurs, young companies and innovative businesses, mobilize social resources and use state resources more effectively. The Central Youth Union and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry will regularly collect proposals from young companies and send them to the government office and ministries. The issues include administrative procedures, the cost of setting up and operating companies, access to capital and support programs. The prime minister said handling proposals must lead to concrete results and unresolved disagreements between businesses and policies should continue to be addressed.
The State Bank of Vietnam was ordered to speed up a credit program supporting young people buying social housing and improve long-term home-rental lending with affordable costs. It must also help small and medium-sized businesses, cooperatives, household businesses and youth-owned startups access credit.
The Ministry of Education and Training was ordered to develop thinking, practical skills, foreign languages, digital skills and safe, responsible use of artificial intelligence. It must strengthen career guidance and connect educational institutions with companies and the labor market, while schools should develop innovation spaces, laboratories and startup-support centers.
Sources: Thanh Niên
