Training and Continuing Professional Development Among the Social Work Workforce in Hanoi, Vietnam
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-jsshrs/V2E9/2026-15Keywords:
continuing education, continuing professional development, training, social work workforceAbstract
Purpose: Training and continuing professional development play an important role in maintaining and developing the competencies of the social work workforce to meet increasingly diverse needs in the current context. However, research on training and continuing professional development for the social work workforce remains limited in Vietnam. This study aimed to assess the current status of training and continuing professional development among the social work workforce in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 351 social workers in Hanoi using a purposive sampling method. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The training and continuing professional development scale including 37 observed variables corresponding to comprises eight dimensions. In this study, descriptive statistics, including the mean and standard deviation, were used, along with Cronbach’s alpha to assess the reliability of the scale.
Results: Social workers reported varied experiences of training and continuing professional development. Among the eight dimensions assessed, employee satisfaction with training had the highest mean score and fell within the agreement level.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that continuing professional development of the social work workforce should be approached as an integrated process linking training, practice, and the organizational environment, rather than focusing solely on the provision of training programs. These findings provide an empirical basis for improving training and continuing professional development systems to better respond to practice needs and strengthen organizational support in Hanoi, Vietnam.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Trang Pham Thi Huyen, Huyen Truong Thi Minh (Author)
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