Training on Customs English terminology: Efficiency from reality

Mr.David John Whitehead, Chairman of Australian Business Association in Vietnam, is teaching about "Logistics and Supply Chain Security" at the Vietnam Customs School. Photo by Vietnam Customs Shool.

According to a representative of the Vietnam Customs School, the training of foreign languages, specifically English is particularly important for the Customs sector. The English language is a widely used language in international trade and Customs dossiers such as sales contracts, commercial invoices, etc. Besides, the Customs English terminologies will help Customs officers understand regulations clearly about their performance. In the case where any disputes arise or the international treaties which Vietnam has signed or joined are different from provisions of the Law, the Customs shall apply the provisions of such international treaties.

In order to train Customs officers to grasp and understand the Customs English terminology to carry out their professional work correctly, the Vietnam Customs School has developed the specialized document relating to all operational activities in the implementation of customs procedures at units in Customs sector. This document was approved by the General Department of Vietnam Customs for training. Through training courses, Customs officers have learned more knowledge of Customs management.

Many local Customs units which sent Customs officers to attend the training courses said that the Customs officers more clearly understand the Customs terminology and meaning of commercial documents and Customs dossiers after the training courses. At the same time, helping Customs officers carry out accurately the Customs procedures for enterprises and minimizing errors in the public duty performance. The master of Customs English terminology is also required to build professional and well qualified Customs officers in the region and in the world.

According to statistics, from the training courses on Customs English terminology is officially organized to the present, the Vietnam Customs School has organized 16 courses with a total of 406 trainees. In particular, the number of excellent trainers accounted for 7.86%, good trainees for 57.71% and fair trainees for 34.43%. Specifically, the Vietnam Customs School amended and supplemented this book for the first time to update more acknowledge for Customs officers to study more conveniently.

Talking to the Customs reporter on the knowledge and use of Customs English terminology in the professional work, translator Hoang Thi Loan of Customs News said that "This course helped me understand procedures of Customs, Taxation and Banking and etc. It also provides an opportunity for me to discuss Customs operations with my colleagues in various Customs units. Understanding the basic Customs procedures and Customs English terminologies taught by lecturers and experts helps me translate more effectively, thereby foreign readers and partners can understand the Customs procedures and obstacles arising in the process of Customs procedures for domestic and foreign enterprises are removed.

Highly appreciate the importance and effectiveness of the training course organized by the Vietnam Customs School, Customs officer Nguyen Thanh Trung from Dong Nai Customs Department said that the training course helped Customs officers improve their ability to read Customs dossiers and shorten the time of receiving and settling the Customs dossiers, thereby facilitating enterprises in the implementation of the Customs procedures.

Thanks to the diverse teaching methods, combining presentation, teamwork and illustrative examples, and actual experience in teaching helped Customs officers quickly grasp English terminology and specialized knowledge. In addition, the knowledge which was taught was also consistent in the actual requirement of professional work in the units. By using the English language after the training course, he also actively contributed to the improvement of his behavior and communication skills in English in communicating and guiding procedures for passengers on exit or entry from many countries around the world.

After the training courses, many Customs officers also highly appreciated that the coordination between Vietnamese Customs School and native volunteer lecturers to improve the teaching quality (the Vietnam Customs School invited Mr. John Whitehead, Chairman of the Australian Business Association in Vietnam for teaching). This was considered as essential support for trainees to use Customs English terminology through practice and communicate with the native lecturers. According to the trainees, the teaching of native lecturers significantly improved the efficiency of learning English and created a new method in learning and teaching Customs English terminology.

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In order to promote the English learning movement in the Customs sector and help Customs officers to improve their knowledge of studying and practicing their English skills for international integration, the General Department of Vietnam Customs approved the pilot project for organizing English training courses for officials and trainers of Vietnam Customs School.

In the coming time, the Vietnam Customs School will implement many solutions and prepare the English program for Customs officers who begin to learn English and strive to train the Customs officers who can work with foreign enterprises and passengers on exit or entry after 1 year.