Fresh Recruits of MOFA Receive Appointment Decisions

Fully-equipped fresh recruits

In order to equip new cadres with sufficient knowledge, skills as well as techniques when they are first assigned to departments, every year, the MOFA organizes a Pre-civil service course for newly recruited civil servants.

As the organizer of the course, FOSET Deputy Director Do Son Hai said that in the past 2 months, the students had a chance to learn a great deal of knowledge about external relations as well as basic skills and techniques which are applied for their job. The new cadres also learned from the experience of their seniors, and they were inspired by senior diplomats and predecessors. 

This is also a chance for new cadres to build their network in the field, enhance exchanges to be more ready for their upcoming tasks. The classes focused on improving practical and professional skills such as writing chronological records, official letters, statements, reports, presentations, minutes of foreign exchanges, and accompaniment. 

The instructors of the course are senior diplomats, experienced cadres and experts from departments under the MOFA.

During the course, the cadres had a chance to join a number of seminars with senior diplomats such as former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan, Ambassador Nguyen Nguyet Nga, Ambassador Tran Trong Toan, and ambassadors to Vietnam from Spain, New Zealand, and Israel. Thanks to the exchange, the cadres gained insights into the mission and dedication of diplomacy.

The persistent Covid-19 pandemic has had an impact on how the course was delivered. However, thanks to quick adaptation to the new situation, the organizing board of the course brought 14 topics online, and conducted online exams for the second and third study packages as well as achieving high efficiency in each lesson.

Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic has made it impossible to organize some activities such as excursions, working trips and dance classes.

At the end of the course, all students were granted the certificates of completion, 7 of which were awarded for their most outstanding results, and 4 students were awarded for active contribution to the course activities.

The class was highly disciplined, all students complied with regulations regarding the timings and dress codes. They maintained professionalism and a desire for progress, as well as active interaction and exchanges with instructors throughout the course.

Ready to depart

The new diplomatic cadres not only passed the recruitment examination with flying colors, but also achieved good results after a 2-month Pre-civil service course in order to be part of the MOFA today.

Looking at the faces with full of hope and enthusiasm, the DPO Deputy Director Bui Minh Long knew that all of his new colleagues are ready to step on a path of challenges, glory and pride.

“You must have heard of the saying ‘The seventies have always been rare’. This is part of the will passed down by President Ho Chi Minh, and it originates from a poem by a Chinese writer. The author also said that in his 70 years of life, he was only a child for the first 10 years, he was weak for the following 10 years, he spent half of his 50 remaining years sleeping, that means he truly lived for 25 years”, Mr. Bui Nguyen Long said.

By that citation, the DPO Deputy Director Bui Nguyen Long wanted to convey a message to new cadres, saying that the life of a civil servant is not long. If we want to save memorable experience, a meaningful life, and a prideful career for ourselves, we must make use of our time, realize our objectives, determine our roadmap and stick to it. The DPO is willing to accompany each cadre and help implement their development plan.

“Stories that happened in the early 1990s may have been seen differently from those today, but I am profoundly grateful to the seniors, for their strictness, which helped me mature on my own journey”, said Mr. Ngo Huong Nam.For Mr. Nam, the life of a civil servant lasts about 40 years, and during that time, each cadre would work for and move around 5 to 7 agencies in Vietnam and overseas. However, the very first agency at the start of our journey leaves the deepest impression and memories.

Foreigners consider diplomatic service as a honorable profession, which is carried out by respected people born to noble families. This reminds Mr. Nam of his low confidence when he started his career. At that time, his foreign language proficiency was limited because he did not receive professional education when the whole country was facing difficulties. However, he kept trying to keep up with global standards.

The Vice Chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese told each new cadre to always feel proud and confident in the path they have chosen, and keep trying their best to stand side by side with big powers, or even exceed global standards.

“Disadvantaged” but “Fabulous”

Mr. Bui Nguyen Long said that the appointment decisions were made by leaders of the MOFA based on the demand for human resources of agencies, and on the assessment of each cadre’s ability and expertise which were shown in the recruitment examination as well as the pre-civil service course, together with their undergraduate major and language proficiency. The appointment decisions are proof that these new cadres officially became diplomatic cadres at different agencies.

Although the opportunities and challenges vary, every contribution and dedication of the new cadres to the MOFA are appreciated, and indispensable in building a comprehensive and modern diplomacy, as well as the successful accomplishment of the missions assigned by the Party and the State.

As the Covid-19 pandemic is still unpredictable, some new cadres may feel more unlucky than those from the previous intakes, because they have not been able to be deployed right away. But in return, new cadres are blessed with the opportunity to start with the latest trends such as digital diplomacy, diplomacy 4.0, etc.… They can also spend more time on research, thereby consolidating their expertise in their missions. 

Since the vaccines against the Covid-19 are increasingly given to citizens in Vietnam, it will not be long until the new cadres can directly participate in external relations activities. The DPO Deputy Director believed the new recruits will soon get into the work and earn achievements. 

Opening a new path

Bui Minh Duong - student of the Pre-civil course 2021 recalls how nervous and excited he felt on his first days in the class.

However, such worries quickly dissolved thanks to the care and devotion of the DPO officials, as well as the course organizers. The best conditions for study, heartful supervision, enthusiastic guidance, time responses,… were given to Minh Duong and his peers.

Moreover, the excitement of students was rewarded with the amount of profound knowledge, diverse practical experience delivered in a lively manner, which exceeded expectations.

Speaking at the appointment decision awarding ceremony, Bui Minh Duong said “What we achieved will stay in our heart forever, it is not only knowledge or experience, but more importantly, passion for the career, the desire to constantly devote, and the unshakable loyalty of the diplomatic cadre”.

After 2 months of the very first online Pre-civil course in history due to Covid-19 pandemic, Minh Duong and other students together build a block of unity, who share and help each other.

Bui Minh Duong believes that “We as strangers at first, became a group with mutual goal, mission, and vision. Although we work at different departments, the solidarity we built thanks to the course is the foundation for future cooperation and support”

The year 2021 is surely one of the most memorable milestones for students of the Pre-civil course. Within over 2 months, the newly recruited cadres of the MOFA received 2 important decisions in their career.

For Minh Duong, in his diplomatic career, he and his colleagues will receive more decisions, with more significance after each time. However, all starts from the appointment decisions they receive today. The decisions opened a path for the new recruits of the diplomatic services to dedicate their youth, enthusiasm and passion to the diplomacy career.

There will be many more difficulties and challenges ahead, and each cadre will have to further their study and research to be come excellent diplomatic cadres. However, Bui Minh Duong pridefully believes that he and the new cadres will always be dedicated and passionate with the career they chose.

Pride and happiness are the feelings of the new MOFA recruits as they can contribute their part to the glorious diplomatic services, improving the position of their country, building a strong nation. From now onwards, they will be brave and confident to overcome difficulties and challenges ahead to accomplish the missions that the Party, the Government, the People and the MOFA entrust them. They will inherit the legacy of the senior diplomats, who brought glory to the history of the diplomacy career.