Employment - the key for people with disabilities to integrate into the community
They are Ms. Bo Nuot Xiu and Ms. Zoram Thi Tam - two people with mild disabilities, participating in a job fair for the first time for people with disabilities. Previously, Tam and I would not dare to take a bus to Tam Ky like that. But thanks to meetings, sharing and support from the Association of People with Disabilities (NKT), I have more confidence. We hope to learn sewing, then apply for a job at a company to earn income, reducing the burden on the family" - Ms. Xiu shared, her eyes sparkling with hope.
These are just two of about 230 NKT who participated in a recruitment interview at a job fair held exclusively for them in Quang Nam recently. The event was jointly organized by the Association for Community Development Studies (ACDC) within the framework of the USAID-funded Merger Project.
Quang Nam province currently has more than 61,000 NKT, of which nearly 21,200 people are of working age. However, for a disabled person to find a job that suits his health, skills and personal conditions has never been easy.
Mr. Do Duong Sy - a motivational teacher in Tam Xuan 1 commune, Nui Thanh district - said: "I hope to work in the field of information technology, but only have an elementary degree, so it is very difficult to find a job. I also make handicrafts, hoping to find a new opportunity today. Mr. Sy came to the fair with weak legs but his eyes always lit up when mentioning the craft that he had been involved in for many years.
At the fair, 23 businesses and training institutions participated in recruitment with a variety of occupations such as garment, handicrafts, healthcare, electronics and telecommunications, restaurants, hotels, etc. Some units are ready to flexibly create working conditions for NKT. Mr. Nguyen Truong Thien - Director of Au Co Rattan and Bamboo Cooperative - said that the cooperative currently has 150 employees, of which 10 are directors.
Technology paves the way for people with disabilities to integrate
In recent years, Quang Nam has made many efforts to promote the integration of NKT through life skills training programs and livelihood support. Most recently, the Vietnam Association for the Protection of People with Disabilities and Orphans coordinated with the province to organize a training course on life skills in a digital transformation environment for NKT in Duy Xuyen, Que Son districts and Tam Ky city.
In the class, students are instructed in communication skills, online learning, using computers and supporting devices to live independently. This is an important foundation to help NKT gradually approach digital technology - a factor that is reshaping the current labor market.
According to Mr. Hua Quoc Dung, Chairman of the KhtsT Association of Quang Nam province, digital technology is the key for Khts to integrate more deeply into social life. Currently, only about 5 - 7% of income earners in the province have jobs related to information technology. Most of them have to learn by themselves, but lack the necessary foundation and support" - Mr. Dung said.
Although the province has issued Plan No. 564/2025 setting a target of 20% of income tax support for access to information and communication technology, according to records, many contents in the plan are still "on paper". A leader of the Department of Science and Technology admitted that specific activities have not been implemented according to the assignment. Meanwhile, NKT support programs using technology are still very limited in both resources and expertise.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh - Director of ACDC - said: "GNPT is also a person with capacity, creativity and can make great contributions to society. Creating suitable job opportunities for them is a necessary step to build a sustainable and fair society".
The job fair is a valuable start, but for people with disabilities to integrate smoothly, an ecosystem of support is needed to synchronize policies, training, technology to social awareness - the common responsibility of the whole community.
