STEP IT Academy Vietnam

Virtual Academy for in-demand digital skills development to lay a strong foundation for successful employment 

Although Vietnam has a strong focus on Industry 4.0 policy reforms, in terms of digital skills, the nation ranks 96th in the 2020 Global Talent Competitiveness Index. At the same time according to PWC Vietnam Digital Readiness report, 84% of respondents say that they would learn new skills now or completely retrain in order to improve future employability.

With the pandemic impact on education, new solutions for upskilling and training should be introduced. That is why Virtual STEP IT Academy brings an online learning solution for Vietnamese learners (age 15 y.o and older) with the possibility to learn digital skills (coding, design, digital marketing, and more) from home.

Our online learning platform offers students a choice in 2 categories: professional courses, long-term and consisting of a set of skills for a specific profession, or short courses, focused on tools or skills in one area of expertise.

While learning from home, students have a possibility to connect with peers, receive video consultations with trainers, as well full support from the support team that would make sure learners are making steady progress.

Our platform allows learners to evaluate their readiness for employment and possibilities for up-skilling, by providing free of charge recommendations on how to improve their resumes.

Working closely in Vietnam with the IT industry, STEP IT Academy is focused on supporting learners' employment in the future by internship and career guidance services.

Vietnamese government set up a strategy to support rapid economic growth with a strong focus on digital economy development while seeking solutions to internationalize its economy and education system. At the same time, the majority of the country’s workforce is presently lacking sufficient skills and technical expertise in a variety of fields. Vietnam is in urgent need of skilled labor – the skills and competency of the workforce require constant improvement as the country forges ahead into the new digital world. With 38% of the population urban and more than half the population is below 25 y.o. a need for ed-tech solutions in up-skills and re-skilling is in high demand.

The World Bank, in its recent COVID-19 policy response report noted that there is an opportunity to expand Vietnam’s digital agenda by encouraging priority reforms to promote e-learning, e-payments, and e-governments.

PWC Digital Readiness Report 2021 shared some insights from the conducted survey: 84% would learn new skills now or completely re-train in order to improve future employability.  93% are currently learning new skills, with the majority of these respondents saying that they are learning independently. 36% would like to develop specialized expertise in specific technologies.

At the same time, students have limited possibilities for learning, which is mostly dominated by public educational institutions, that have limited capacities and less flexibility to respond efficiently to the fats changing pace of the digital economy. The existing ed-tech solutions mostly focus on language skills training and K-12 tutoring, and less on tech. 

Our target population are young people in Vietnam, age group 15+, who are willing to improve their employability within the tech industry and learn specific digital skills in programming, cyber security, web design and development, UI/UX design and digital marketing.  We are open to students who want to supplement learning K-12 curriculum or with professional digital skills. With an international curriculum, delivered by professionals in Vietnam and a strong focus of the training program practical skills development, we believe learning with STEP IT Academy would result in high employability rates for our students. Graduates of STEP IT Academy would not only receive knowledge, but also certification, assistance in CV and portfolio creation, and securing employment.

Currently, in Vietnam, digital skills training programs are mainly delivered by governmental educational institutions, that often are not that flexible to the fast pace of the digital economy demand. Most educational programs are academic and less adapted to the needs of the employers. At the same time, many learners want to explore new opportunities for jobs in tech or improving specific skill-sets, therefore an online learning platform with practical skills development opportunities, as well as full support in employment and career guidance, could open up opportunities for the population outside large cities and for those, who can not dedicate full time for their education while studying or working.

Our solution contributes to strengthening the delivery of STEM and 21st-century skills for learners to effectively build work readiness. With a possibility for learners to choose from professional or short courses in digital skills, we help them to access online learning and study when it is convenient in a supportive environment. We also offer to the learners a possibility to receive an evaluation of their CVs and support in employment, through our partnership program.

Our courses curriculum is developed with a focus on in-demand skills development, market relevance to ensure their work readiness.

We accept students starting from 15 y.o. and do not require any previous IT background. Our approach is to build their skills through a project-based learning approach while working on practical assignments and building their portfolio.

We believe that Virtual STEP IT Academy helps to enhance the educational process and would open up opportunities even for those students, who see learning digital skills as complementary to the chosen majors. It provides access to professional development and training opportunities, building capacities, that would improve their employment opportunities.

COVID-19 pandemic has brought a lot of challenges, but also demonstrated that e-learning if executed efficiently, can actually bring opportunities to those, who would face barriers of accessing facilities and training locations or having conflicts in their schedules.

Natalja Rodionova, managing director, has been leading IT Academy STEP establishment and successful development in Cambodia and now is launching operations in Vietnam.

Our innovative approach includes flipped-classroom methodology, focused on digital skills development. While learning online, a student would have an access to study materials online, as well as be connected to his peers in special chats to activate peer-to-peer learning opportunity, that is so often missed by students who study online. Students will receive study materials weekly, which would include video tutorials, interactive quizzes, and assignments. A group of learners will be able to have online video meet-ups scheduled weekly to get support and feedback.

Virtual STEP IT Academy Vietnam is a mix of self-paced learning systems with tutoring opportunities. We believe such an approach would enable learners’ engagement and accountability, as well as ensure steady progress while learning tech skills under professional guidance and a possibility to address challenges with a help of a group or a mentor.

Vietnamese students now have access to international ed-tech solutions, such as Khan Academy or Coursera, but most of the content there is in English and is 100% self-paced. Virtual STEP IT Academy Vietnam will offer courses online with groups and mentors in the Vietnamese language. Those are adapted to the local market demand.

Virtual STEP IT Academy Vietnam can become a catalyst of change and enable a broader positive impact by creating new in-demand skills development opportunities for Vietnamese youth while learning online. We expect that such a solution would be in demand not only by young people in cities but also can become a valuable choice for regions.

We have tested this approach in Cambodia, where during pandemic all educational institutions have been closed for 18 months already and we have been delivering training online. We saw great potential in bringing a virtual academy to Vietnam, which is a bigger market than Cambodia and has clearly defined strategic goals in terms of Industry 4.0. and skills demand. Also, taking into account the internet penetration in Vietnam, access to computers and strong interest from the target market in skills development to ensure better employment opportunities with the digital economy, we have strong confidence in the solution's success in the market. We have also conducted extensive research to identify motivation and needs in Vietnam. 

STEP IT Academy Vietnam is an online learning platform, that connects trainers and learners. Trainers have access to the Logbook, an online learning management tool, that contains a database of teaching materials, a possibility to assign students homework and provide feedback, as well as schedule online video calls and even monitor students’ attendance of those calls. This platform has several functions to make sure trainers' work is efficient and students learning process is transparent and manageable. Students' online learning platform Mystat, which is integrated with trainers’ platform Logbook has a convenient interface and is available both as a web platform or as a mobile app. Students can check there their schedule for video calls, access to educational materials, that contain lessons, video tutorials, assignments, online interactive tests and online books. Those materials are being displayed to the students’ profiles weekly, with notifications for the updates. We also apply the gamification approach, when students collect points, stars and diamonds to keep them motivated and engaged in the learning process. These two platforms are also connected to Administration Logbook, which allows our education department to monitor the educational process, follow up on students’ progress and get in touch with them to discuss possible challenges with attendance and performance to ensure students are supported and motivated. Administration Logbook has a dashboard, data analysis, and visualisation.

If we create affordable access for Vietnamese youth to an efficient online platform to learn in-demand digital skills under the guidance of tech professionals and in a supportive local community, as well as clearly demonstrate diverse career possibilities in tech, then we will be able to bring a positive impact for their future employment and support Vietnamese economy growth. Because of the benefits of virtual learning, we would be able to engage young people across the country and ensure a high-quality educational experience, that would improve their employment opportunities in the digital economy reality and increase perspectives to get well-paid jobs.

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Our key performance indicators are:

1.     Number of students who enroll in Virtual IT Academy courses should grow with every year of operations. Our projections for the 1st year of operations are 300 learners and we expect a 25% annual increase in the number of students

2.     Number of female learners in the courses is not less than 40%, which is higher than in traditional educational establishments with digital skills programs

3.     Percentage of students to complete the courses and meet all training requirements not less than 70% from enrolled

4.     Satisfaction rate with the learning process and results of the training not less than 80% of learners are satisfied or very satisfied

5.     90% of the learners confirm that learning with STEP IT Academy help them with getting improving their employment

To measure the above-mentioned KPIs, we would have a learners survey system after each course, as well as use an online learning management tool for tracking each learner's progress and ensure continuous motivation and support.

Our goal is to create an engaging online learning platform for students in Vietnam, that would allow joining digital skills training courses virtually, thus covering both large cities and smaller towns. By setting an affordable pricing structure we aim to attract learners from different socio-economic backgrounds. Also, we plan to ensure an efficient communication campaign to recruit more female students. Since learning online would eliminate traveling needs, and would provide learners a possibility to choose their study time, to connect with their group and experts, we are confident we would be able to provide high-quality learning experience for the students.

We integrate our educational program with employment counseling and support and plan in the future to create a joint eco-system with existing IT companies, thus being able to secure internship possibilities for the graduates.

Our plan for the first year of operations is to enroll at least 300 students into the courses, with a continuous increase of 25% of the new students annually. To achieve this goal, we will use a strong communication campaign, deliver on sales targets, as well as ensure a high level of satisfaction among the students to build a strong brand.

We also start with 6 professional courses and 6 short courses and would need to review and update the list based on the market demands and industry trends.

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We recognize that there are several barriers for the implementation and scalability of our solutions that we have to take into consideration:

• Access to infrastructure and laptops by the target group. To study virtually, we expect students to have access to a computer with an internet connection. We understand that for many young people that may be a challenge. However, based on the market data, currently, internet penetration in Vietnam is reaching 70%, and 65% of the Internet users from 16 to 64 y.o. own laptops. So for a start-up in the Ed-Tech space the data is promising in terms of the available market.
• Product diversification to meet the demand in the market. We would need to dedicate resources and focus on the in-demand skills and therefore establish a close partnership with the market to provide our students education that would help them in their future employment. We understand that the content of the courses, subjects, and skills should be regularly updated and reviewed.
• Financial barrier – currently we focus on investments for a pilot launch. With a price model that allows to ensures the sustainability of the operations while staying attractive for students, we hope to be able to roll out the operations efficiently using generated revenues. However, we understand that scaling up would require extra investments into marketing and infrastructure to be able to serve a bigger community.

STEP IT Academy was established first in Ukraine in 1999. Now it has branches in 22 countries around the world and extensive international expertise in teaching digital skills to diverse groups of students. STEP IT Academy graduates are now working in 36 countries around the world, being the best example of how global is IT industry and quality education focused on skills is in demand in any country. In 2015 STEP IT Academy has established a branch in Cambodia, that successfully operates and provides education to Cambodian youth in software development and design-related subjects. 100% of graduates in Cambodia are successfully employed and have acknowledged their satisfaction with education in the Academy. In 2020 a branch in Vietnam was established, however, due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, as well as with technology development, STEP IT Academy in Vietnam is operating virtually. That opens new opportunities to attract students from different locations, provide engaging e-learning experiences and additional services to the students to increase their employability.

We strongly believe that with STEP IT Academy international expertise, as well as the local team in Vietnam, that adapts the curriculum to meet the requirements and demands of the local market, as well as fully dedicated to creating meaningful partnerships with local operating companies, we can create an innovative and stimulating experience for students in Vietnam.

STEP IT Academy Vietnam consists of full-time employees:

•  managing director
• project director
• accountant
•  a customer’s service manager

Part-time employees:

• Trainers for different subjects
• A marketing and communication manager

Educational materials, content, and online platforms are provided by IT Academy STEP, Ukraine

Yes, our team is well-positioned to deliver the solution. Our management team has 6 years of experience working in Cambodia, thus a strong understanding of the Asian market and our team in Vietnam has been working in the field of IT and education too. With a strong backup from IT Academy STEP in Ukraine, which has more than 20 years of experience in digital skills development, we are confident in our abilities to deliver the solution.

The team in Vietnam is led by a computer science master's degree graduate, who is passionate about digital skills development and has extensive experience in e-learning and computing. In tandem with a management team, that has strong project management skills, focus on operational excellence, and lean financial planning, we believe we can execute the solution successfully and expect exponential growth in the market. Our team values are “quality, development, commitment” and we are customer-focused in every aspect. With a help of surveys, interviews, and being open to the students’ feedback, we believe we can implement the solution and build a strong and trusted brand.  Our company culture is based on accountability, respect, ownership, and care and we apply a lean operations approach.

Our team lead has launched and is running a STEP IT Academy in Cambodia since 2015. http://www.cambodia.itstep.org/ Due to the pandemic, since 2020 all the lessons are conducted online and we have strong experience in teaching students digital skills, while using technology.

We have also launched in 2019 the first female coding club Sisters of Code https://www.sistersofcode.org/, which is a non-profit educational program for girls in Cambodia, that received several international awards and recognition from the Ministry of Education in Cambodia.

STEP IT Academy has been growing internationally and has capacities to ensure relevant localization of the learning materials to stay relevant for students in different countries.

STEP IT Academy Vietnam partners with STEP IT Academy in Ukraine, which is responsible for strategic counseling, as well as training methodology development. STEP IT Academy Ukraine also provides the Online Learning Management system for trainers, administrators and students, thus ensuring the efficiency of the online operations of the company in Vietnam

We apply for the Octava Social Innovation Challenge, as we believe that thanks to the partnership we can gain, we would have unique support from the experts that can help us to accelerate the impact, as well as get guidance from mentors on the improvements for the solution, especially for the business model to achieve greater possibilities for scaling the Academy in Vietnam, and perhaps entering other countries in the region. We also appreciate the possibility to connect to the network and learn from each other, as we truly believe in the importance of sharing and collaboration in the space of education. We also hope that one of the barriers, such as product diversification and relevance to the market, can be better overcome under the guidance of the community.

We also consider that winning in the Challenge can help us to build recognition, trust, and awareness, which are so important for start-ups.

Business model: we have developed a strategy and pricing model, however would appreciate getting guidance and support to improve those and make sure the operational model is sustainable and efficient.

Network connections: a key to success for the virtual Academy is to have a close connection with the tech ecosystem and ensure that training programs offer in-demand skills and graduates get support with internships and employment.

Public Relations: we have a marketing strategy, however, help from the international experts is highly appreciated to make sure the messaging and communication are clear, impactful, and engaging. We also believe that we need to invest in building awareness on the diversity of employment opportunities in tech, put into the spotlight role models and advocate for gender equality in tech, as well as demonstrate the benefits for skills-focused training, that could help to engage youth from the less privileged background by opening new career possibilities in the fast-changing world.

Product / Service Distribution: recommendations on how to diversify the training courses and improve the learning experience for the students, as well as ideas on AI integration to make the learning process more personalized.