Not interested in learning a trade because of fear of losing benefits

Don't care because there is another way

Ms. Nguyen Thi Huyen (name changed) was previously a worker in Thang Long Industrial Park (Dong Anh District, Hanoi). More than 2 years ago, she terminated her labor contract and officially became unemployed. Like many other unemployed workers, she completed procedures to receive unemployment benefits to have income during the time she was unemployed.

Ms. Huyen has participated in unemployment insurance for 18 years, so she is entitled to the maximum period (12 months), with a total amount of 4.6 million VND/month.

The female worker only completed the procedures to receive unemployment benefits, not the other three benefits, including vocational training support at the Employment Service Center. The reason Ms. Huyen gave was that she did not care because she had other plans. “During the time I lost my job, what I wanted most was unemployment benefits; as for vocational training or career counseling, I did not pay much attention because it did not match my direction,” Ms. Huyen shared.

After losing her job, this nearly 40-year-old female worker switched to working as a labor export consultant at a center. Later, she also worked as a real estate broker.

“At first, I encountered many difficulties due to lack of experience, relationships, and skills in these jobs. From a factory worker, with quite simple work operations, little contact with others, to a job that requires a lot of skills, especially social communication, made me encounter many difficulties” - Ms. Huyen shared.

Currently, Ms. Huyen no longer receives unemployment benefits, but the income from her two new jobs has helped her basically stabilize her life.

The director of a job service center in the North said that the number of people learning a trade to change careers at the center is small compared to the number of people applying for unemployment benefits, although the jobs that the center can support teaching are quite diverse.

“When they lose their jobs, what they care about most is the subsidy to help them ease some of their difficulties. After that, when their unemployment benefits expire, they can find another job at a new company without having to learn a trade or improve their skills, because many companies only need unskilled workers,” said the director.

Convenient procedures for easy access by workers

Recently, at the meeting to comment on the draft Law on Employment (amended), Permanent Vice President of the Ninh Binh Provincial Labor Federation Tran Kim Long said that when workers become unemployed, they leave their agencies, units, and enterprises. Therefore, in terms of vocational training support for workers, the procedures must be convenient for workers to access.

According to the report summarizing the implementation of the Law on Employment and assessing the current status of related social relations by the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, from 2015 to March 2024, the total number of people applying for unemployment benefits nationwide was 7,605,726, 14 times higher than in 2015 (527,576 people); 7,439,091 people had decisions to receive unemployment benefits. 100% of workers receiving unemployment benefits were granted health insurance cards by the Social Insurance Agency in accordance with current regulations, creating favorable conditions for workers to receive medical examination and treatment and return to the labor market soon.

Meanwhile, by the end of March 2024, 261,676 people nationwide received vocational training support. According to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, the number of people receiving vocational training support has tended to decrease in recent years, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to present, causing many vocational training institutions to temporarily suspend operations, especially during the period of social distancing.