Social Capital and Sustainable Graduate Employment in Vietnam’s Digital Economy: Evidence from Trade Union University

Abstract

The rapid expansion of the digital economy is reshaping labour markets in Vietnam, creating new employment opportunities while intensifying competition and deepening inequalities in school-to-work transitions. Although employment rates among graduates of the Trade Union University exceed 96% in both 2022 and 2023, substantial challenges persist regarding job-major mismatch, modest early-career income, and uneven labour-market outcomes across academic disciplines. Drawing on classical and contemporary social-capital theory, this study investigates how four forms of social capital-bonding, bridging, linking, and digital-shape sustainable employment outcomes, defined as employment attainment, job-major fit, and career stability. Using a mixed-methods design, qualitative interviews were conducted to refine constructs and contextual mechanisms, followed by quantitative analysis based on a large-scale graduate survey. Descriptive results from institutional datasets reveal high employment attainment but low alignment between academic training and job roles, as well as income clustering in low-to-middle wage bands. These patterns suggest that immediate employment may be driven by bonding networks, while sustainable, high-quality employment may depend on bridging and linking capital. Digital social capital emerges as an increasingly relevant resource, though its impact appears contingent on broader offline networks. The study contributes a multidimensional conceptual framework and proposes testable pathways through which social capital influences employment quality in a digitalising labour market. Implications for theory, higher education institutions, employers, and policymakers are discussed, highlighting the need to strengthen diverse social networks to promote equitable and sustainable graduate employment in Vietnam.