Apple announced it is expanding its Supplier Employee Development Fund, a $50 million education effort for workers in its supply chain, by opening a new Apple Education Center in Vietnam. The nation is growing into a key manufacturing hub as Apple shifts production away from China, and the center is being run together with Hanoi University of Science and Technology (HUST).
The fund was first introduced in 2022 after worries arose about the well‑being of people working in Apple’s supply network. At that time Apple pledged £50 million, stating the money would support a blend of worker training and the protection of worker rights.
The expansion will broaden access to learning and skill‑building opportunities. It also brings in fresh and enlarged collaborations with prominent rights groups, universities, and nonprofits, aiming to strengthen Apple’s work to empower supplier employees and improve awareness and respect for workplace rights across sectors.
Earlier efforts of the fund in Vietnam concentrated on training for individuals with disabilities, while this new step follows a similar model launched in India earlier this year. Technical courses will teach in‑demand skills such as fundamentals of smart manufacturing, robotics, and automation technology. The center also offers full professional‑development programs, including leadership soft‑skills workshops and line‑training, enabling participants to progress in their current jobs or embark on entirely new career paths.
Technical programs will equip students with on-demand skills such as basic knowledge of smart manufacturing, robotics and automation technology […] The center also provides comprehensive professional development courses. Students will have access to leadership soft skills programs and line-up training, giving them more capacity to advance in their current role or start a completely new career journey.
Apple reports that, to date, the initiative has delivered nine million training sessions globally, and 108,000 supply‑chain workers have taken part in a separate Swift coding program.