Grantee: Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN)
Partner organizations: N/A
Country of focus: Viet Nam
Grant period: November 2025 – April 2027
FutureWORKS Asia is part of a global initiative supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, aimed at addressing the evolving challenges in the world of work across the Global South. As the Asian arm of the broader FutureWORKS network, the initiative is led by LIRNEasia and focuses on supporting high-quality, innovative, and gender-responsive research to inform skills development and policy pathways for an inclusive and sustainable future of work in Asia.
Following the completion of the first competitive selection process, five research projects under Cycle 1 are currently ongoing. In November 2025, FutureWORKS Asia onboarded seven additional research projects under Cycle 2, expanding the regional research network. These Cycle 2 projects will run until April 2027, deepening evidence and policy engagement across diverse future-of-work themes, including climate transitions, gender, and labour market transformation.
DEPOCEN has been selected to conduct a 18 month research and advocacy project, Adapting to the AI Revolution: A Gender-Responsive Skilling Framework for Workers Aged 40 and Over (AISkill40+)
Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming labour markets in Vietnam, reshaping job tasks, skill requirements, and employment opportunities. While much attention has focused on younger workers, older workers—particularly women aged 40 and over—face heightened risks of displacement due to skills mismatches, limited access to retraining opportunities, and gender-based barriers in the labour market.
The AISkill40+ project seeks to address these challenges by developing and piloting a gender-responsive skilling framework tailored to the needs of workers aged 40 and above. The project will generate evidence on how AI-driven workplace changes affect older workers and identify practical strategies to support their continued employability and productivity. The ultimate goal is to equip policymakers, training institutions, and labour market actors with a validated framework that supports inclusive and age- and gender-responsive workforce transitions in Vietnam’s emerging AI economy.
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Research objectives
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Grantee information
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Research team
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The project aims to:
- Assess how AI-driven technological change is reshaping job tasks and skill demands for workers aged 40 and above in Vietnam.
- Identify gender-specific barriers faced by older women workers in accessing reskilling and upskilling opportunities.
- Design and pilot a gender-responsive skilling toolkit tailored to the needs of mid- and late-career workers.
- Generate evidence-based policy recommendations to support inclusive lifelong learning and workforce adaptation strategies.
- Strengthen the capacity of policymakers and training providers to design age-inclusive and gender-responsive skills interventions.
The study will employ a multi-phase, mixed-methods action research design combining quantitative and qualitative research tools. Key components include:
Phase 1: Inception and Diagnostic Study focuses on mapping the policy and skills landscape. This includes a comprehensive review of Vietnamese policies and strategies related to AI and labour, alongside international research from institutions such as the ILO and World Bank. A large-scale baseline survey will be conducted with 700 workers aged 40 and above across two contrasting sectors—one labour-intensive (e.g. textiles, food processing) and one human capital–intensive (e.g. finance, IT, services)—to identify skills gaps, training needs, and barriers, with gender-disaggregated analysis.
Phase 2: Co-Design and Pilot Intervention translates evidence into action. Through participatory co-design workshops, workers aged 40 and above will help shape a Career Adaptation Toolkit, combining online micro-learning modules on AI literacy with peer mentoring. The intervention will be piloted using a treatment–control design, with female workers in the treatment group receiving a three-month intervention.
Phase 3: Evaluation, Synthesis, and Dissemination assesses impact and supports policy uptake. A rigorous control–treatment analysis will evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention, integrating qualitative and quantitative findings. Outputs will include policy briefs, an academic paper, and a final report, supported by a national policy dialogue to share findings with key stakeholders.
The Development and Policies Research Center (DEPOCEN) is an independent research and policy think tank established in Vietnam in 2005. DEPOCEN specialises in socio-economic development and public policy research, with a strong emphasis on generating high-quality evidence to inform policymaking. Its work spans labour markets, education, health, governance, and inclusive growth, and includes large-scale surveys, impact evaluations, and specialised training programmes. DEPOCEN aims to bridge academic research and practical policymaking by connecting researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers.
- Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh – Chief Economist and Director
Leads the project, oversees research design and implementation, and guides policy engagement and dissemination.
- Ms. Nguyen Phuong Mai – Vice Director
Serves as Project Manager, overseeing fieldwork coordination and implementation of pilot interventions.
- Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Minh – Senior Economist
Leads research design, sampling strategies, and preparation of core analytical reports.
- Bui Ha My – Researcher
Leads data collection activities, supervises fieldwork, and supports the roll-out of pilot training modules.
- Dr. Doan Quang Hung – Fellow Researcher
Supports data analysis and contributes to the development of online training modules for the skilling toolkit.
This project is one of the twelve projects selected under the FutureWORKS Asia, a research initiative funded by IDRC and led by LIRNEasia, a pro-poor, pro-market think tank specializing in digital infrastructure and policy research. LIRNEasia’s work focuses on leveraging digital technology to enhance knowledge, information access, and economic opportunities, particularly for underserved communities.
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