Stakeholders' perceptions towards a career in vocational education and training (VET) in Vietnam negate the country's industrial development plan. During the last 15 years, the Vietnamese Governments investment in to the sector increased annually. However, parents and their children still pursue the goal of higher education via the mainstream rather than a career path way using the vocational education and training system. Although stereotypical views of vocational students are being challenged, Confucian ideology maintains some influence over stakeholders' educational decisions leading to the sustained popularity of higher education. This study explores the perceptions of students on the image of and their loyalty towards vocational education and training. A sample of 300 lower secondary school, 300 upper secondary school, and 300 vocational students was drawn from across the Northern and Southern regions of Vietnam. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data and mean analysis conducted to explore the data. The findings indicate that agreement with statements about facilities and equipment, teacher's ability, curriculum, and soft skills are the clearest indicators of enhanced perceptions about the image of vocational education and training. Encouragement from parents appears most influential to positively affecting lower secondary students' loyalty. Unexpected was that vocational students had less interesting continuing in vocational education and training compared to lower and upper secondary school students inclination towards a career in VET. First-hand experience seemingly leads to diminished perceptions and loyalty towards vocational education.

A model of the dimensions that measure the way students perceive and think about the image of vocational education training (VET) was developed together with an instrument to measure the impact of VET's image on students' loyalty towards the VET sector in the Vietnamese context. The data were collected from 900 students: 300 in lower secondary school, 300 in upper secondary school and 300 in vocational education and training using a face-to-face administered survey questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the nature of the constructs or dimensions quantifying the image of vocational education and students' loyalty towards VET. Correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between the independent variables that comprised the image of VET and the dependant variables of students' loyalty and, finally, regression analysis was used to measure the impact of the image of VET on the students' loyalty. Three main findings emerged from the study: (1) the image of VET was constructed by seven dimensions (entry requirement, facility and equipment, recognition of qualification, student career and job potential, quality of curriculum, social skills and soft skills); (2) students' loyalty was constructed by two dimensions (future study choice and earning potential); and (3) students' loyalty towards VET, namely the rationale underlying their decisions about whether to continue their future studies in higher education or VET, and their perceptions of the earning potential offered by obtaining a qualification in VET, were impacted significantly by their perceptions of the relevance or quality of the VET curriculum to the emerging industrialised and market-led economy of Vietnam, and the level of entry requirements for VET courses, with exception of lower secondary students.

This study addresses the perceptions of key stakeholders and improvement of image in the vocational education and training sector of Vietnam. It identifies a range of perceived positions of key stakeholders concerning the context of the Vietnamese Government’s recent efforts to promote training in the vocational education sector as an alternative to university studies. The latter is evidenced in the funding records for the sector which has demonstrated a tenfold increase, from 49 million United States Dollars (USD) to 490 million USD, in the period 2001 to 2011 under Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (decision No. 630/QDTTg, 2011). The expectations of Government are that the funding will encourage an increased number of students to enrol in the Vocational Education Training (VET) sector which will, in turn, lead to a greater number of skilled workers, with the expectation of becoming an industrial nation (as perceived by the rest of the world) by 2020. Currently, community acceptance of the VET sector in Vietnam has been very slow, which has major implications for the country. This study is a response to this apparent lack of acceptance from the Vietnamese community.

In order to gain a greater insight into the perceptions of key stakeholders, this study applied a mixed-method approach (quantitative and qualitative), which comprises of three methods to collect data. The quantitative method used a survey questionnaire to explore students’ perceptions. The qualitative method involved open-ended interviews to explore parental perspectives on the sector. The last method utilised the nominal group technique to unpack the perceptions of six key stakeholders who have a clear understanding of and close relationship with the VET sector in Vietnam.

By means of triangulation, two reliable findings emerged from the research. First, it was revealed that the issue of the relationship between VET providers and industries resulted in a convergence of impact concerning the quality of VET programs. The second finding showed a web of influences on student perceptions of the VET sector, which was mapped to indicate preference according to priority factors. These influences include by order of ranking: (1) family/parents, (2) school/guidance counsellors (3) government policies; (4) social perceptions; (5) VET image; and (6) media.

Based on these findings, five recommendations are proposed to aim at eliminating the negative perceptions on the VET sector and to helping young people, parents, industries and community to recognise that their perceived views of the VET sector in Vietnam may be unfounded.

The first recommendation is that the traditional understandings and notions of VET be replaced by an inclusive and transformational system under a new name, with new policy development and a revamp of the VET programme, facilitating a smoother transition between school and work.

The second recommendation relates with the relationship between the VET providers and industries. A model of the relationships between two institutions is proposed for further study and consideration.

The third recommendation is to conduct a promotional campaign focusing on the VET sector through media.

The fourth recommendation is to develop a career advice and guidance system, in which parents and guidance counsellors collectively assist students in guiding career choice.

The fifth recommendation relates to the VET quality assurance policies which is proposed based on the findings from the semi quantitative approach nominal group technique. The reason to propose this because the big problems for the VET image were the quality of teaching staff, curriculum, teaching methods, teaching/learning facilities student outcomes which were analysed and discussed in the finding chapter.

The last recommendation proposes factors of influence concerning the perceptual process of an individual. The best way to change the perception of an individual is to change the perceived object which, for this study, is the VET sector in Vietnam.