E-commerce human resources: Learn fast, try early, do real work to catch up with trends

Supply has not met demand

At the workshop "Getting opinions on opening an e-commerce major" recently organized by Foreign Trade University, Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Thi Hien - Deputy Director of Foreign Trade University, affirmed that building an e-commerce major at Foreign Trade University is not only a strategic step but also a commitment to accompany global trends. In order to train generations of students with the ability to compete and integrate, the curriculum needs to be both modern and closely linked to business practices.

However, the current training situation shows an alarming gap. Mr. Tran Van Trong - General Secretary of the Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM) pointed out that although the number of students studying e-commerce has increased 2.5 times in the period 2020-2023 and there are more than 40 training schools, only 30% of human resources at companies providing e-commerce solutions are formally trained.

This shows that the current training program does not really meet market requirements.

"While students have a good foundation in multi-channel knowledge and data analysis, businesses require much higher practical skills, practical experience, and solid foundational knowledge. In particular, skills in new trends such as green e-commerce, multi-channel sales, teamwork, and international certificates are in serious shortage," Mr. Trong analyzed.

In the context that technology has become the foundation of all activities, Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan - Director of the Center for E-commerce and Digital Technology Development (eComDX), Department of E-commerce and Digital Economy ( Ministry of Industry and Trade ) emphasized the strict requirements for human resources in this industry.

"In the core skills system, technical and technological skills play a fundamental role," said Mr. Tuan.

Accordingly, e-commerce personnel not only need to master popular platforms such as TikTok, Shopee, Lazada, but also need to be proficient in content management systems, SEO, digital advertising and especially data analysis. The ability to work with tools such as Google Analytics, Tableau or Power BI has become the "common language" of the industry.

However, Mr. Tuan also believes that professional skills alone are not enough. In a dynamic and competitive environment, soft skills are the "key" to maximize capacity. Communication, teamwork, time management, and especially critical thinking to make decisions based on data are the abilities that make the difference.

"Tripod" solution and new thinking

To address the skills gap, the VECOM General Secretary proposed a “three-legged stool” solution, requiring close cooperation between Schools – Enterprises – Students. Accordingly, schools need to update their programs and increase practice. Enterprises need to build systematic internship programs and participate in training consulting. Students must proactively learn, participate in real projects and constantly update trends.

"E-commerce is a field that develops at a dizzying speed and does not wait for anyone. In order not to fall behind and seize the opportunity to lead, we need a new mindset: learn fast - try early - do it for real. The willingness to adapt, the proactive spirit and close cooperation will be the key to building a generation of talented e-commerce human resources, meeting market demands and bringing Vietnam forward in the digital revolution", the General Secretary of VECOM emphasized.

Meanwhile, Mr. Tuan believes that the future skills trends that students and workers need to prepare for today include the ability to work with AI to optimize processes, basic understanding of programming and API usage, multi-channel integration to synchronize customer experiences, and data security capabilities in the context of increasingly stringent legal regulations. This is not only a trend, but has become a mandatory requirement for high-quality human resources in the digital age.

Foreign Trade University has developed the training program "Smart Digital Commerce & Business Innovation (SBI)". This training program is considered strategic and at the forefront of new technology trends.

"With clear goals, high output standards and a reasonable, modern program structure, this program has great potential to create generations of high-quality human resources, capable of leading the development of Vietnam's e-commerce and digital economy in the future," Mr. Tuan assessed.

Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/chuyen-doi-so/kinh-te-so/nhan-luc-thuong-mai-dien-tu-hoc-nhanh-thu-som-lam-that-de-bat-kip-xu-huong/20250825031907656