Vietnamese graduates have opted to transcend national boundaries to work in other Southeast Asian countries, instead of only seeking employment in their homeland or at a foreign company located here.

Many young Vietnamese have gravitated to countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand – members of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Community, formed in 2015 for a greater boost of regional economic growth.

Having graduated in information technology from Can Tho University in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region, Le Truong Quoc Thang worked at a software company in Vietnam before choosing to work for a firm in Singapore.

The 25-year-old said pressure from the job represents the chief obstacle to a newcomer.

“First days at work were very difficult. I had to try to develop self-awareness in my job, handle heavy workloads, get used to new procedures, colleagues and knowledge,” he said.

Thang sometimes entertained the intention of returning home due to feeling embattled, but quick acclimatization and a passion for programming spurred him on.

Many young Vietnamese people also work as software engineers at the firm, which averagely pays US$3,400 (US$2,500) a month for fresh graduates holding this position, and more than US$5,000 ($3,700) a month for those with over two years of seniority, he said.

“Working with highly capable people, learning a lot from them and receiving a high salary are the reasons why I and many other Vietnamese people decide to work in Singapore,” Thang admitted.

“After gaining experience, I’ll be back to Vietnam. Armed with the knowledge I acquire, I’m confident I can do many useful things for the country.”

The man supposed that education in Vietnam does not sharpen students’ ability in working in teams and figuring out problems.

Diligence alone, he added, does not help workers in an international environment where outcomes matter, irrespective of how hard one tries in the process.

The prescription is working smarter and with excitement, he concluded.

Ho Thi Hong Nhung, 23, who has been employed by a multinational enterprise in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia since November 2017, cited high earnings, fulfillment of her goal and experience of international corporate culture as the factors enabling her to stay abroad.

She used to work in Vietnam before joining the business in Malaysia, where over 100 staff members come from her motherland, she said.

“As the company changes the manager every three months, I have lots of chances to learn from their leadership skills,” Nhung said, adding that she desired to land a job in Singapore or continue her education in the U.S. or Europe after three years in Malaysia.

One of Nhung’s colleagues here, 26-year-old Banh Thu Suong, said being employed abroad by a multinational firm will stand job applicants in good stead in seeking well-paid jobs, compared with those only working domestically.

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