The J School caught up with recent Publishing Career Program graduate Vu Nguyen from Vietnam. Vu was a team member of the 2013/14 publishing group that produced the Flair book. He is currently back in his home country where he is working at the broadcasting division of the Viettel Corporation, one of Vietnam's biggest companies.
Where is Vu now?
VIETTEL CORPORATION
Broadcast Division
Vu, tell us about your background (educational, interests, etc.) prior to coming to FUA.
I come from a very artistic family. I remember seeing as a 5-year-old images of paintings and mosaics from the Renaissance in my father's books about Renaissance art, they made me fall in love with the arts at a young age. Vietnam is a country that also comes from a longstanding history, where history is mixed together with the present, and where we Vietnamese feel connected to historic moments. It's a traditional way of being in many Asian countries, and I have personally always loved history. On the other hand I also love to travel and have turned it into a personal habit. Travel allows me to find myself, to know what's going on outside of my home-city-country. My career path is an interesting story. I attended the university in Hanoi to become an automation engineer. But after three years I realized that I needed to find something for me, not for money or simply to have a prestigious career. I began the search for something that responded to my background in the arts, which I had always cultivated thanks to my father who is a professor at an art-based university. In August of 2010, I was hired by VTC 3, a sports channel in Vietnam. After two years I moved over to the Sport Channel of VTV (national Vietnamese television). The company gave me a chance to improve and cultivate my talent and knowledge. I was able to work on some really great shows in Vietnam.
Where are you currently working today and what does the company represent in Vietnamese media?
I came back after completing my FUA studies in mid-April. I currently work for the Viettel Corporation, one of the biggest companies in Vietnam. Specifically, I am in the broadcast division. We are preparing a channel that will be on air this summer and I have high hopes for a good start.
Can you describe your daily duties and responsibilities?
My colleagues and I are preparing for this summer. We are working on building the channel format and its programs. Our goal is to build a new sports channel that will be interesting and able to compete with the other sports-related channels in Vietnam. We will also be dealing with news. So I get to continue working as a journalist, reporter, and editor.
How are you employing the skills gained through the publishing program at FUA to your new job?
FUA provided a new, beautiful environment and real experiences during the eight months I spent in Florence. The institution gave me the confidence to take on a new, challenging job upon returning home. What I gained from the program was organization and communication skills, in addition to the knowledge gained from the various faculty members I worked with. These skills help me greatly at my job, they have distinguished me from others. To stand out is a big goal in my opinion when working in an office.
What are your plans for your future career path?
This year my immediate goal is to push my channel and promote it. I would love to expand to other book-related opportunities, for example create a Flair-quality publication in my home country. I obviously would jump at the chance to come back to Italy to catch up with friends and FUA.
Any words of advice for future Career Program students at FUA?
We have limited time and limited chances. Live as much as you can and don't miss out on anything.
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