How FPT Software applies lessons from the global technology legend

Starting with "almost no" processes and expertise when exporting software to the world, driven by a daring spirit and the determination to place Vietnam on the global digital map, after 25 years of bringing Vietnamese knowledge to the world, FPT surpassed the milestone of US$1 billion in IT service revenue from foreign markets for the first time, contributing to making Vietnam a global technology hub. 

The spirit of learning is ignited at FPT Software.

Few people know that behind the current achievements of this company lies a long journey and an unwavering spirit of continuous learning to upgrade themselves and strive to reach world-class standards. As shared by Ms. Chu Thi Thanh Ha, Chairwoman of FPT Software, a subsidiary company specializing in IT outsourcing of FPT Group: 'Top talents create a world-class company.'

Drive Motivation toward world-class standards

In its early days, FPT Software went global with the mindset of 'knowing nothing but moving forward' with the hope “having a job”. Undoubtedly, just a year later, the 'first life lesson' the company learned was nothing but failures. FPT Software realized that to survive and thrive in foreign markets, it needed to change its mindset and enhance its capabilities to meet the stringent demands of global clients. The company immediately began training in processes and foreign languages, and preparing for international technology certifications.

Since that point on, the company’s leaders have ignited a strong desire for learning, improved processes, updated international standards, and enhanced the capabilities of every employee.

One of the key training programs for enhancing capabilities and quality management processes at FPT Software is the CMM-4 campaign. CMM is a quality certification by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) which was established and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. To achieve CMM Level 4 (out of 5 levels), a company must be capable of managing software projects using data to fully meet customer requirements and ensure the company’s business objectives regarding product quality. In 2002, FPT Software became the first company in Southeast Asia to achieve CMM-4, making it onto the list of the top 100 companies globally in Quality Management, which granted it a first-class ticket to enter the global software market.

The spirit of learning is ignited at FPT Software

In terms of project management, FPT Software continuously enhances its standards through collaboration with leading organizations worldwide, such as the Project Management Institute (PMI), to apply the most modern international standards.

Furthermore, the company has invested in research to keep up with the latest technology trends in fields such as AI, Cloud, Automotive, etc. In the AI sector, the company is the founding member of the Global AI Alliance alongside IBM, Meta, and 50 other major companies and organizations. Recently, the company partnered with Aitomatic and Tokyo Electron (TEL) to launch SemiKong, the world's first open-source large language model (LLM) specifically designed for the semiconductor industry.

Nurture the desire to learn

One of the factors that has helped Infosys become an IT legend with a market capitalization exceeding 70 billion USD is its culture of lifelong learning. In 2002, Infosys established the Global Education Center in Mysore, India, spanning 150 hectares, with 400 instructors and over 200 classrooms, meeting all international standards. The center can accommodate and train up to 14,000 individuals at a time across various technology fields.

Similar to Infosys, FPT Software is actively working to become a learning organization to achieve and go beyond the goal of becoming a 'billion dollar, world-class company,' as shared by Chairwoman Chu Thi Thanh Ha. FPT Software has built a variety of learning programs to meet the aspirations of diverse groups of learners, from freshers, junior employees to experts and middle managers.

To enhance the company's learning culture and gain insights from the practical experiences of the Indian IT legend, at the beginning of 2024, FPT Software successfully recruited Mr. Prajith Nair, former Director of Training at Infosys, to take on the role of AVP, Head of Learning and Innovation. Mr. Prajith Nair stated, "A company that seeks sustainable growth needs employees who are always prepared to tackle customers' challenges. To achieve this, each individual must take the initiative to learn and develop themselves. Only around 20% of training should be reactive based on customer demand and 80% of the time we should have people trained and qualified, ready to start working. This happens when we provide a clear role based learning path to the workforce".

Specifically, FPT Software offers self-directed programs for employees with a diverse range of content, from technical and domain skills, marketing to foreign languages, through various methods including in-house online and offline courses, as well as financial and time support to empower employees in their learning journey.

FPT Software continues to invest heavily in providing best learning resources to the workforce towards creating a great learning environment. Many high-quality learning programs and continuous certification support campaigns have emerged, such as Upskilling (a deep skills development scheme for programmers), Global SE (English language training), 20K Certificates (professional certification training provided by Udacity), and PMI-555 (project management certification training), offering self-direct learning opportunities for over 33,000 employees of FPT Software. Depending on the job requirement, each employee must complete specific proactive learning programs.

The learning culture at FPT Software goes beyond merely applying new processes and technologies, it also fosters a spirit of innovation. Employees are encouraged to share ideas and experiences. 

Prepare future IT workforce 

Infosys currently has around 317,000 employees, which is nearly ten times the number of FPT Software staff. The growth of Infosys is closely tied to its philosophy of focusing on developing human resources, regarding people as the company’s most valuable asset.

Aiming for the scale of Infosys means FPT Software needs to prepare a substantial long-term human resources. FPT Software has partnered with universities that have notable IT programs and has funded scholarships for outstanding technology students. Recently, the company announced a training investment package worth 150 billion VND, collaborating with 15 universities to promote Japanese-speaking IT workforce.

Today, India has become a global technology powerhouse, thanks to the dream of building a software company by Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys. "Vietnam is unique. No other country has shown the courage and ambition like you have. We believe if we can achieve it, so can you," Narayana Murthy remarked during his visit to Vietnam this past May. He also emphasized that companies like FPT will help Vietnam tap into its potential, particularly in developing a high-quality workforce.