Nearly half of Vietnamese fear job losses due to automation

Forty five percent of Vietnamese are worried about losing their jobs to machines in future, a survey has found.

Most respondents, 83 percent, think technology would change their jobs in the next 3-5 years, and 90 percent think that would happen in the next 6-10 years, according to the survey by global accounting giant PwC, which polled over 1,100 people in November and December last year.

This poses a demand for enabling a future-ready workforce, it said.

Dinh Thi Quynh Van, general director of PwC Vietnam, said: “While an upgrade or investment in technology can be immediate, equipping people with the right skills to meet the needs of the future, helping them thrive in the changing conditions of the digital world require time and constant effort.”

The evolution of technology was also cause for optimism, with 90 percent saying it would improve their job prospects in future.

In comparison, a 2019 PwC report said the global rate was 60 percent.

Grant Dennis, chairman PwC Vietnam, said: “Our survey findings reflect the accelerated presence and influence of technology in the workplace and the pace of change that is to come in Vietnam.”

Nearly nine out of 10 people said they are provided with opportunities to various extents to improve their digital skills at work, indicating that businesses are doing their part to meet the upskilling needs of their workforce.

Some 93 percent of respondents said they are already making efforts to reskill and upskill to adapt to technological changes.

By Dat Nguyen – VnExpress.net – March 17, 2021