Business Challanges
What would you do if you needed a thousand workers as soon as possible?
When a new refinery opened in Thanh Hoa province, Northern Vietnam, the owners faced a big challenge: they needed to hire more than 1,000 skilled workers in a very short time. The jobs were technical, the location was far from major cities, and the skill level needed was high.
Instead of handling the task alone, the company turned to Manpower Vietnam. With experience in engineering staffing and local knowledge, the expert team at Manpower Vietnam built a recruitment plan that solved the hiring problems quickly and cost-effectively.
Here were the challenges this newly setup factory faced:
Challenge #1. A huge hiring goal on a tight timeline
The refinery needed more than 1,000 people, fast. Covering all functions from operations to back office, their list of required positions included from field engineers, process engineers, lab technicians, to logistics experts, and finance officers. Every delay will be costly, so the client wanted people on the job on schedule.
Challenge #2. Skill gaps in a remote location
With 77% of employers in APAC facing skilled talent shortages, our client was no exception. While Vietnam has a large blue-collar workforce, many of the roles in demand required highly specialized technical skills that remained relatively scarce among local workers. Furthermore, Thanh Hoa is several hours away from Hanoi and far from other major cities. How can this business attract talents from urban areas to move there?
Challenge #3. Ongoing workforce management
Beyond recruitment, the client also needed continued staffing support to ensure smooth workforce management for a thousand workers. This included managing payroll, employment contracts, and HR administration - all had to be managed properly. Without a clear and reliable solution, the refinery risked project delays, non-compliance issues, and difficulties in retaining employees.
Solutions with Manpower Engineering
Given the company’s business objectives and recruitment needs, Manpower Vietnam’s goal was not just to fill positions but to make sure the workforce was ready, reliable, and sustainable. To accomplish this, Manpower provided these solutions:
1. Building local partnerships
Manpower’s consultants worked closely with training centers and vocational schools in Thanh Hoa and nearby provinces to identify candidates with existing technical backgrounds, whether their majors were in refinery, oil & gas, or other disciplines. This approach allowed the business to find skilled talent who could be quickly upskilled for refinery work, ensuring both efficiency and readiness.
2. Deploying wide recruitment campaigns
Instead of relying on one single sourcing channel, Manpower spread the message everywhere:
- Online job boards where skilled professionals search for opportunities
- Local community pages and networks where word of mouth is strong
- Printed flyers distributed in factories and offices throughout the area
Manpower’s deep local expertise sets them apart from other engineering staffing firms. Their local hiring team understand where talent hotspots are in Vietnam and how to best approach the talent the clients are asking for.
3. Hosting weekly on-site workshops
To make the hiring process easier for candidates, Manpower’s consultants set up weekly workshops directly at the refinery site. These events allowed the hiring team to meet candidates face-to-face, explain the roles, and run interviews right away. By giving candidates a clearer picture of the work they’d be doing and the actual workplace environment, this hands-on approach not only reduced waiting time but also increased the rate of successful hires.
4. Leveraged a rich executive database
Manpower Vietnam has a long-developed database of experienced leaders and specialists to fill critical roles like process leaders, HSSE managers, and senior engineers. With deep expertise in energy and manufacturing, Manpower’s engineering recruitment consultants were able to quickly identify and match the right candidates, accelerating the time to fill and ensuring a strong fit.
5. Providing staffing services after hiring
Recruitment was just the first step. Manpower Vietnam continued to support the client with comprehensive staffing services, which included managing contracts, handling payroll, and HR administration, all met Vietnamese labor laws. This end-to-end HR solution gave the client peace of mind and let them focus on running the refinery.
Results
With a reliable recruitment strategy and proven staffing support, the refinery overcame engineering hiring challenges and secured the right talent - quickly and effectively. Here are the key results they achieved with Manpower Vietnam’s support.
1. Faster than expected
Within 8 months, more than 600 job offers were made and accepted for jobs at all skill levels. Recruitment targets were met a month earlier than expected, enabling the refinery to begin operations on time without staffing delays.
2. Lower training costs
Because Manpower’s consultants sourced candidates with the right backgrounds, the client saved on training. Workers were more job-ready, which reduced the need for costly courses and shortened onboarding time.
3. Stronger strategic focus
With Manpower handling recruitment and staffing, the client’s HR team could focus on strategic planning and employee engagement instead of being buried in paperwork.
Why engineering staffing matters
This success story shows what companies in Vietnam’s energy and manufacturing sectors can expect when working with Manpower Engineering:
- Speed: Large projects can’t wait for slow recruitment. Manpower Engineering delivers talent on time.
- Expertise: Manpower Engineering consultants know the technical skills and safety standards required in the Oil & Gas, Petrochemical, and Power Generation sectors.
- Local Expertise, Global Reach: Manpower combines deep knowledge of local communities and nation-wide talent pools with global best practices.
- End-to-End Service: From finding candidates to managing their employment, Manpower covers the full cycle.
Our Manpower Engineering Solution
Hiring 1,000 people in a remote area of Vietnam is not easy. But Manpower Engineering makes it work. It requires the right strategy, strong networks, and the ability to act quickly. By partnering with Manpower Engineering Vietnam, the refinery in Thanh Hoa not only met its hiring goals but also built a strong base for future operations.
This case proves that with the right workforce partner, even the toughest staffing challenges can be solved on time and within budget.
Whether you need engineering staffing in Vietnam, help with refinery recruitment, or support in managing a large workforce, Manpower Engineering can deliver the results that keep your business moving forward.
Contact us today and explore our innovative workforce solutions for your hiring requirements.
FAQ about Manpower Engineering
What is Manpower Engineering?
Manpower Engineering is the Energy & Technical Recruitment Specialization of Manpower, offering expert workforce solutions for the energy sector. We specialize in sourcing highly accomplished engineering professionals and skilled technicians for oil and gas, petrochemical, and power generation projects worldwide.
What types of roles does Manpower Engineering recruit for?
Manpower Engineering specializes in energy-related engineering and skilled technical positions across oil & gas, petrochemical, and power generation sectors. Our recruitment covers a wide range of disciplines, including Engineering Roles and Skilled Technical Roles. Get our shortlist of roles provided here.
What makes Manpower Engineering different?
As part of ManpowerGroup, a global leader in workforce solutions, Manpower Engineering brings together:
- Deep industry-specific knowledge across energy, oil & gas, and technical sectors
- A global talent network spanning multiple regions and disciplines
- Rigorous compliance and safety screening to ensure readiness for high-risk environments
- Fast and accurate delivery of qualified candidates to meet urgent project demands
