Vietnam faces serious shortage of cybersecurity, AI laborers

Vietnam's tech market is experiencing a hiring spree, accompanied by a steady rise in industry salaries, according to a report on Vietnam’s 2024-2025 IT market by tech recruitment platform TopDev.

TopDev cited the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications (MoIT) as saying the country's rapidly expanding tech market needs at least 500,000 IT workers by 2025.

But one of the industry's biggest challenges is a dearth of experienced professionals, particularly in specialized areas like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

The monthly salary of developers in Vietnam averages beween $1,100 and $3,000 in 2024, depending on their skills and experience.

Specialized roles, such as AI engineers and cybersecurity experts, often earn significantly above the average due to the shortage of qualified candidates and the critical nature of these positions in business operations, says the report.

Vietnam is experiencing a comprehensive wave of digital transformation, rapidly extending across key sectors such as finance, banking, and public services.

The country’s digital economy currently makes up approximately 16.5% of GDP and is projected to grow at an annual rate of 20%. According to Google’s eConomy SEA 2023 Report, Vietnam’s gross merchandise value (GMV) is set to rise from $30 billion in 2023 to $43 billion by 2025, further highlighting the strong growth potential of its digital economy.

In addition, Vietnam is regarded as one of the leading countries in adopting new technologies in ASEAN. Emerging trends such as 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) are being rapidly deployed, driving digital transformation and modernizing technological infrastructure.

With robust government support and increasing foreign investment inflows, Vietnam is on the path to becoming a major regional technology hub, says the report.

Regardless huge potential for growth, Vietnam’s IT market faces major challenges, it notes.

Local businesses and investors run into hurdles related to technology infrastructure, particularly as 5G networks, data centers and cloud services are becoming increasingly essential. As such, it is necessary for the country to increase investment in upgrading infrastructure to meet the growing demand for technological advancement.

Additionally, cybersecurity and data security pose significant pressure on IT companies amid sophisticated cyberattacks. Enterprises, therefore, need to focus on technological improvements and training a highly skilled workforce in data security, suggests the report.

The demand for skilled experts outstrips supply, placing considerable pressure on businesses to attract and retain talent. Companies should therefore not only prioritize recruitment but also conduct internal training to enhance their employees’ capabilities.

In October 2023, the Vietnamese government said it plans to train between 50,000 and 100,000 highly skilled workers in the 2025-2030 period as the country braces for a fresh investment wave to sweep its semiconductor industry.