On May 30, 2025, a delegation from DEOCA Group, led by Chairman of the Board of Directors Ho Minh Hoang, visited the Bureau 2 of China Construction Group in Shenzhen (China) to inspect and encourage engineers and workers who participate in a specialized training program on Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) technology. Consul General Nguyen Viet Dung and officials from Vietnam’s Consulate General in Guangzhou were also in attendance.
Learning and working directly on the metro construction site
The training program is part of a collaborative agreement between DEOCA Group and the Bureau 2 of China Construction Group. Participants are trained in TBM technology to serve the implementation of urban and intercity railway projects. The curriculum includes underground construction techniques taught by leading Chinese experts. In addition to theoretical lessons, trainees directly observed project operations that use TBM technology on the underground construction site of the Guangzhou-Dongguan-Shenzhen intercity railway project (with a design speed of 120 km/h and a total length of 80 km) and the Longcheng station project of the Shenzhen-Huizhou intercity railway project in China.
Participants are trained in TBM technology to serve the implementation of urban and intercity railway projects.
At the construction site, Engineer Nguyen Duc Phuong, head of DEOCA Group’s technical team and the trainee group leader, reported that the trainees have been instructed on temporary shaft construction, TBM tunneling, slurry treatment, quality control, surveying, and design. The training sessions have included lively discussions between the trainees and instructors. “Here, we learn theory along with practice, so we can quickly grasp new technology, and many of our questions are answered in detail on-site. We are confident that after this course, we can begin to master TBM technology and be able to apply this knowledge to similar projects in Vietnam,” Mr. Phuong said.
The delegation receives a progress report on the training of workers and engineers for TBM tunnel construction.
When Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Chairman of DEOCA Group, asked about the trainees' learning ability and discipline, Mr. Wang Song, Deputy Party Secretary and Deputy General Director of the Bureau 2 of China Construction Group, replied that after theoretical safety training, the trainees were immediately sent to the site. They were directly involved in construction and practiced operating TBM tunneling. He noted that the Vietnamese trainees are very serious about their studies.
“I see that the trainees are strictly following all site rules and safety protocols. They are not just learning, they are actively working with us to fully understand the principles and how to properly adjust the boring machine system. They study theory and get practical on-site experience during the day and have evening study sessions in the office,” Mr. Wang shared.
With the program’s curriculum, participants are trained in theory, including the structure of each machine part and its operating principles in construction, surveying, and sampling. It also includes hands-on practice in carrying out each step, operating the machine, handling problems, and responding to different geological conditions. In the future, if DEOCA Group works on similar projects in Vietnam, the trainees are ready to provide support and consultation to meet the specific geological requirements of each area.
Aiming to master TBM technology
According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, General Director of DEOCA Group, the company is making systematic investments in a highly skilled workforce. This is part of its long-term strategy to enable Vietnam to master modern construction technologies and ensure the capability in undertaking major national projects such as railway links with China, the North-South high-speed railway, and urban railway systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
DEOCA Group and Bureau 2 of China Construction Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement.
TBM technology requires precise machine operation, advanced geological knowledge, and problem-solving skills, which call for sustained investment in manpower. The engineers and workers sent by DEOCA to China are carefully selected professionals with prior mountain tunneling construction experience. They will form the “core” team responsible for internal training of the company.
"Unlike many domestic enterprises that continue to rely on European partners and costly foreign experts, which leads to long-term dependency and high cost, DEOCA Group has chosen a different path. We accept ‘learning by doing,’ working alongside international firms such as the Bureau 2 of China Construction Group to gain hands-on experience directly, and aim for technological self-reliance. In these joint projects, instead of earning income, DEOCA Group even covers its workers’ own living and training expenses. But we accept this trade-off to train our personnel, foster the spirit of self-reliance - self-strengthening - national pride. Through this, the Group can gradually master new technologies and build a Vietnamese workforce capable of delivering complex underground infrastructure projects to international standards,” Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy stated.
Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Chairman of DEOCA Group, spoke at the working session.
After being directly briefed on the training and participation of DEOCA Group's engineers and workers on the Guangzhou-Dongguan-Shenzhen intercity metro project, Vietnam’s Consul General in Guangzhou, Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, quoted President Ho Chi Minh's words from an article in October 1959 on the 10th anniversary of China's independence: “Congratulations to China. Thanks to China. Learn from China.” This message remains relevant today and is reflected in the learning spirit of DEOCA Group's engineers and workers at Bureau 2 of China Railway Group. This demonstrates the aspiration, determination, and deep understanding of the leadership of both countries in Vietnam-China cooperation in strategic transportation infrastructure.
Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, Consul General of Vietnam in Guangzhou, and Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DEOCA Group, visited and presented gifts to encourage engineers and workers participating in an advanced training program on TBM tunneling technology.
Assessing the training program, Consul General Nguyen Viet Dung recognized the pioneering spirit of Vietnamese enterprises, particularly DEOCA Group, in enhancing the quality of its human resources. He emphasized that this aligns with the Party and State’s direction of implementing 3 strategic breakthroughs: Completing institutions, developing high-quality human resources, and building modern, synchronized infrastructure to foster sustainable growth. Among these, the development of high-quality human resources is especially crucial.
“Training personnel on-site, which combines learning and working, will not only help DEOCA gradually master TBM technology but also enable them to independently undertake such projects, both in Vietnam and abroad. I believe that DEOCA has the potential to grasp the technique and technology to successfully implement future cooperation projects.” Consul General Nguyen Viet Dung |
Mr. Ho Minh Hoang expressed confidence that with the staff’s dedication, DEOCA Group will gradually master this technology and successfully carry out many major projects in Vietnam and achieve global reach. Especially, he underlined that with the issuance of the Politburo’s Resolution 68 on private economic development, which is one of the Party and State’s strategic goals, private enterprises like DEOCA have the leverage to achieve technological breakthroughs, confidently undertake new projects, and engage in more effective international cooperation.
Mr. Ho Minh Hoang expressed his confidence that with the dedicated efforts of its workforce, DEOCA Group will gradually master advanced technologies, successfully implement major projects in Vietnam, and achieve global reach.
“With the attention of the Party and the State, and the encouragement from Consul General Nguyen Viet Dung today, I hope our workers, engineers, and technicians will not only be determined to master TBM technology but also address other shortcomings by continuing to learn and refine construction processes. We will go far, but we must do so with a solid foundation. We need to be serious and adhere to basic international labor principles during our learning and work, and each individual must provide a specific report on their task progress. The goal is for you to acquire comprehensive knowledge while fostering solidarity and mutual support when working away from home. After finishing the training program, you may have various options, but I hope we will continue to partner and contribute to transport projects across the country. Our nation is waiting for you, and as the country rises, DEOCA Group’s technology must rise with it,” the Chairman of DEOCA Group stressed.
During this business trip to China, DEOCA Group also worked with Guangzhou Railway Vocational College to discuss a partnership aimed at establishing a vocational college in Vietnam. This initiative is expected to help address “labor shortages” in Vietnam’s transport sector, particularly as the country faces an enormous infrastructure demand in the coming years.
News: Tuan Khang - Photo: Viet Trung
