Solutions to improve the capacity of specialized union cadres in the era of national development

Comrade Bui Quang Huy, alternate member of the Party Central Committee, First Secretary of the Central Youth Union, and a large number of youth union members and volunteers at the launching ceremony of the model "Youth volunteers guide and support people in carrying out administrative procedures"_Photo: VNA

Requirements for the capacity of specialized union cadres in the era of national development

Built, trained and matured through periods of revolutionary struggle, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU) has always promoted revolutionary heroism, made outstanding contributions to the cause of national liberation, national unification, construction and protection of the Fatherland. Entering the new period, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union has promoted its valuable traditions, contributing to building a generation of young Vietnamese people with patriotism and national self-reliance; steadfast in the ideals of national independence and socialism; upholding revolutionary ethics, awareness of law observance, living a cultured life for the community; having the capacity and courage in international integration; having health, knowledge, skills and industrial style in labor and production; being proactive and creative in mastering advanced science and technology.

To promote rapid and sustainable national development, our Party has determined to focus on plans and goals that are the advantages and strengths of the young generation; that is, digital transformation, technology, and innovation in the spirit of Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW, dated December 22, 2024, of the Politburo , "On breakthroughs in science, technology, innovation, and national digital transformation". In particular, General Secretary To Lam directly serves as Head of the Central Steering Committee on science, technology, innovation, and digital transformation. This is a great opportunity for young people to promote their intelligence, creativity, and contribute to the overall development of the country.

The new era - the era of national growth requires the youth union to act with determination, because only with innovative thinking can we create a breakthrough for development.

In every revolutionary stage, our Party and State have always attached special importance to improving leadership capacity, governing capacity and fighting strength, and enhancing the efficiency, effectiveness and performance of the political system. This is one of the key factors that makes the Party a great helmsman, an elite captain leading the Vietnamese revolutionary ship through all rapids, achieving one victory after another ⁽¹⁾ .

Faced with the requirements of the period of accelerating industrialization and modernization of the country, of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the process of deep international integration along with the rapid changes in the situation, many issues regarding youth work have been and are being raised that need to be considered objectively, scientifically, in accordance with the reality of the country; requiring further strengthening of the Party's leadership over the work of the union and youth work. In order for the union work and youth movement to be truly strong, in addition to innovating the form of activities, improving the capacity of the union cadres at all levels is very important; because this is the core force, directly directing and organizing all activities of the youth.

Implementing the resolutions and conclusions of the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, the party organization system at all levels, the state apparatus from the central to grassroots levels, the organization of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and socio-political organizations, including the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, have been gradually innovated, promoted their roles, and improved their effectiveness; the functions, tasks, and working relationships of each organization in the political system have been more reasonably defined and adjusted, gradually meeting the requirements of building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law state and developing a socialist-oriented market economy .

The arrangement of the organizational structure of the advisory and support agencies at the provincial and communal levels is carried out synchronously and consistently with the arrangement of the organizational structure of the specialized agency of the Central Youth Union, under the comprehensive leadership of the Party Committee and the direction of the Central Youth Union Secretariat. The Central Youth Union Secretariat issued Instruction No. 65-HD/TWĐTN-TCKT, dated June 6, 2025, "On the arrangement of organization, staff and activities of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union at the provincial and communal levels", providing guidance on the functions and tasks of advisory and support agencies at all levels, specifically as follows:

At the provincial level , the Youth Union and Youth and Children's Working Committee is a specialized and professional unit under the provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee, and is also an advisory and support agency of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union of the province or city, and a standing agency of the provincial and city Youth Union Inspection Committee, the Vietnam Youth Union of the province, the Vietnam Student Association of the province, and the Council of the Young Pioneers of the province or city. The core tasks of the Youth Union and Youth and Children's Working Committee are to propagate and educate union members and young people to implement the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, and resolutions of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union at all levels; to educate revolutionary ideals, ethics, cultural lifestyles, to propagate, disseminate, and educate the law for union members and young people. To coordinate with functional agencies in national defense and security work; Implement action movements, programs to accompany youth and children, emulation movements, and campaigns chaired and implemented by the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union. Promote the role of union members and young people in building and defending the Fatherland; gather and mobilize union members to actively study, work, and improve their qualifications and capacity in all aspects; care for and protect the legitimate and legal rights and interests of union members. Implement the Vietnam Youth Development Strategy in all localities, in order to create conditions for youth to develop comprehensively and promote their pioneering role in building and defending the Fatherland.

At the commune level , the commune-level Youth Union performs functions and tasks according to the provisions of the Charter of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union.

After streamlining the apparatus, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union needs to focus on innovating the content and methods of operation, focusing on the grassroots, strengthening solidarity with union members; at the same time, improving operational efficiency and management effectiveness.

The activities of the Union after streamlining the apparatus need to focus on the grassroots: Promote grassroots activities, directly reaching out to union members and youth, listening to opinions and resolving issues that union members and youth have legitimately proposed. Innovate the content and methods of activities through Change the way of organizing and implementing the activities of the Youth Union to better suit the actual situation and meet the needs and aspirations of young people. Improve the quality of Youth Union cadres associated with focusing on training, fostering, improving professional qualifications, skills, and working skills for the team of full-time Youth Union cadres, especially those at the grassroots level. Increase the application of technology, especially the effective use of information technology tools and means to connect, exchange information, organize online activities, create convenience and attract young people to participate. Connect with movements, campaigns, Closely coordinate with departments, branches and organizations to implement movements and campaigns of the Youth Union, creating a widespread and highly effective impact. Promote the role of youth by creating an environment and conditions for youth to participate in contributing ideas, suggestions, and participating in activities of the Youth Union, locality and unit.

The streamlining of the apparatus is not just a mechanical change, but an opportunity for the Union to strongly innovate, improve operational efficiency, and better meet the requirements and tasks in the new situation.

The capacity of a full-time union cadre is mainly composed of three elements: knowledge, skills and attitude to perform the job. The above elements must be associated with solving problems related to the functions and tasks of the union, association, team, youth and children's movement.

In the era of national development, the team of Youth Union cadres needs to have comprehensive capacity in terms of political qualities, ethics, professional capacity, soft skills and the ability to adapt to changes of the times; to be pioneers, role models, with courage, intelligence and a high sense of responsibility to lead young people to participate in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. Youth Union cadres need to have solid professional knowledge, deep understanding of fields related to Youth Union work and youth and children's movements, and apply professional knowledge to grasp, analyze and solve practical problems. Youth Union cadres need to be able to plan, organize, implement and operate Youth Union activities; have the ability to manage, lead, assign and coordinate work effectively; have the ability to research, analyze and evaluate the situation and development trends of youth and society, thereby proposing appropriate solutions. In the digital age, Youth Union cadres need to be able to proficiently use information technology equipment and means, make the most of digital applications and platforms to serve the work of the Youth Union; communicate and behave skillfully and flexibly, have the ability to convey information, persuade, and create consensus in work and in the activities of the Youth Union; at the same time, quickly adapt to changes in the environment, society, science and technology, thereby making appropriate adjustments in the work. Youth Union cadres need to be able to lead, inspire, and motivate young people to participate in the activities of the Youth Union, and to arouse the potential and creativity of young people. In terms of attitude, political qualities, and revolutionary ethics , Youth Union cadres must have a firm ideological stance, be steadfast in the goal of national independence and socialism, and always put the interests of the Party, the Fatherland, and the people first. Youth Union cadres have a simple, healthy, honest, modest, progressive lifestyle, always fight against bad things, evil things, and negativity, preserve the qualities of youth union cadres; have a deep sense of responsibility for their work, for the organization and for the youth, always complete assigned tasks well, dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility.

Union cadres must have political courage, be steadfast and ready to face difficulties and challenges in the process of performing their tasks; at the same time, they must be proactive, creative, always innovating, seeking methods and ways of working suitable to the development trends of the times; must have a spirit of lifelong learning, constantly improving qualifications, knowledge and skills to meet the requirements of work and the development of society.

The current team of full-time Youth Union cadres are basically educated, trained and matured from reality; therefore, they have a firm political stance and mettle, are steadfast in Marxism-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh Thought, have professional knowledge, political theory level, and working skills that meet the criteria for current cadre titles and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union cadre regulations; constantly study and gain practical experience at the grassroots level, are energetic, enthusiastic, and complete assigned tasks well.

In general, the Youth Union cadres are a pioneering force, exemplary in work, labor, study, and daily life; take the lead in implementing the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's policies and laws; actively propagate and mobilize people, families, union members, and youth to well implement the Party's guidelines and policies and the State's policies and laws, in launching and organizing the implementation of local youth movements.

The Youth Union chapters at all levels have proactively advised the Party Committees, enhanced democracy in personnel work; implemented strict management and use of cadres in accordance with regulations. The creation of sources and recruitment of Youth Union cadres in the entire system has been regularly enhanced, better meeting the requirements of personnel work in the new period. The promulgation and implementation of the Regulations, which specifically stipulate standards on professional qualifications, political theory, and age of Youth Union cadres at all levels, are an important basis and foundation to help the Youth Union standardize its cadres from the Central to the grassroots levels; the cadres are rejuvenated, close to the age of youth, ensuring standards on political qualifications, expertise, moral qualities, loyalty to the Party's ideals and the Youth Union organization, being dynamic, creative, daring to think, daring to do, daring to take responsibility, and taking the lead in carrying out local tasks.

The Youth Union of Ba Son commune (Lang Son province) supports people in registering level 1 electronic identification accounts via the VnelD application_Photo: VNA

Some solutions to improve the capacity of specialized union cadres in the era of national development

First, continue to strongly innovate personnel work.

To continue promoting the driving force role of the Youth Union in the new era - the era of national development, it is necessary to continue to strongly innovate the work of cadres, concretize and effectively implement the Party's policy on building a contingent of Youth Union cadres at all levels with sufficient qualities, capacity, prestige, and equal to the tasks, ensuring continuous and steady transition between generations. Develop mechanisms and policies to attract and recruit talented people to work in the Youth Union, institutionalize the Party's policy on encouraging and protecting dynamic, creative cadres who dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility for the common interest.

Party committees, party organizations, heads of agencies, units, and localities need to lead and direct the youth union to do a good job in selecting youth union officials, valuing quality and taking quality as the main thing. It is necessary to pay attention to the structure but must take standards as the basis. In selecting youth union officials, in addition to being based on qualifications, age, capacity, and professional qualifications, it is necessary to pay attention to health, talent, and language expression ability. It is necessary to select through practical activities of youth union work and youth movements those with good qualifications, capacity, and moral qualities, strong political will, the ability to mobilize and gather youth, and who are loved and trusted by youth union members and youth.

Second, innovation in training and development work

Training and fostering must be associated with the arrangement and use of union cadres. Focus on training and fostering union cadres, especially grassroots union cadres with solid expertise, good skills, and good moral qualities.

It is necessary to update training and development content in a modern direction, linked to the practical requirements of the Youth Union and youth movements, especially knowledge and skills on digital transformation, international integration, startups, and innovation.

Focus on training "soft skills", such as leadership, communication, teamwork, problem solving, time management, presentation, use of information technology, ensuring that union officials have access to and proficient use of tools, software, digital platforms, meeting work requirements in the context of digital transformation, being able to use information technology platforms, social media, mobile applications to connect, exchange information, interact with union members and youth, organize online union activities, creating conditions for union members and youth to participate in union activities anytime, anywhere.

Combine direct training at centers and academies with online training, experience sharing sessions, seminars, talks, forums, and on-site practice so that union officials have the opportunity to learn, exchange, and improve their knowledge and skills.

Third, on implementing policies and regimes for full-time union cadres

The Youth Union continues to advise on accelerating the implementation of salary policy reform linked to job positions, gradually ensuring and improving the lives of Youth Union cadres at all levels. This is the driving force to help Youth Union cadres focus on their work, arouse the spirit of innovation, creativity, daring to think, daring to do, daring to break through for the common good, enhancing motivation and work efficiency, and the spirit of dedication; honoring, praising, and rewarding promptly and appropriately Youth Union cadres who complete their tasks well, dare to speak, dare to think, dare to do, are proactive and creative; using this as a basis for assessment before classifying, appointing, re-appointing, planning, transferring, and rotating in the direction of prioritizing the arrangement and use of cadres with innovative thinking, creative and highly effective working methods; considering promoting civil servants and raising salary levels ahead of schedule according to the provisions of law for innovative and creative proposals that are assessed as completed.

Fourth, raise awareness among union cadres about the need to foster practical work capacity.

Full-time union cadres must always "renew" themselves by studying, equipping themselves with knowledge and working skills, and quickly grasping the thoughts, aspirations, and trends of movement and development of union members and young people.

Party committees, party organizations, heads of agencies, units and localities need to make the contingent of youth union cadres clearly aware of the meaning and importance of fostering practical working capacity in the new period; thoroughly grasp the viewpoints, goals, tasks and major solutions of the Party and the Youth Union to build a contingent of cadres and innovate cadre work to meet new requirements. Youth union cadres need to concretize the plans, goals and tasks of the Party and the State into specific and practical action programs; organize for union members and youth to grasp and understand clearly the task of economic development as the focus, Party building as the key, culture and society as the solid spiritual foundation of society, strengthening national defense and security as an important and regular task; from there, propose ways and measures to unite and gather union members and youth correctly and accurately, promoting the vanguard and creativity of the youth.

Improving the capacity of the full-time Youth Union cadres is one of the particularly important steps in maintaining the development of each Youth Union organization at all levels to meet the requirements and tasks of the Youth Union and the youth and children's movement in the new period. Thereby, the Youth Union organization is increasingly consolidated and developed; the solidarity front and youth gathering are expanded; the political awareness of Youth Union members is gradually raised; at the same time, a dynamic Youth Union cadre team with professional qualifications is built, becoming a reliable source of successor cadres for the Party, government and socio-political organizations at all levels./.

-----------------

(1) See: Professor, Dr. To Lam: "Refined - Compact - Strong - Efficient - Effective - Effective", Communist Magazine , No. 1,050 (November 2024), p. 12

Source: https://tapchicongsan.org.vn/web/guest/nghien-cu/-/2018/1116502/giai-phap-nang-cao-nang-luc-doi-ngu-can-bo-doan-chuyen-trach-trong-ky-nguyen-vuon-minh-cua-dan-toc.aspx