Changing perceptions of mountain workers
According to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Nam, many laborers in mountainous areas and ethnic minorities do not pay much attention to vocational training, but only rely on slash-and-burn farming and do manual work based on traditional experience passed down through generations. Therefore, their lives cannot improve because they only work to make ends meet, and do not care about vocational training to go out to work, or to learn a trade to make agricultural products in mountainous areas that can be sold on the market.
Mr. Le Thanh Viet - Secretary of the Party Cell of Village 2 (Phuoc Hoa Commune, Phuoc Son District) shared: "In the village, there are still many laborers who only work in the fields, even though they are very young. They should go to vocational school, there are many policies from the Central and the province to support them, so it doesn't cost much but they still have a job, so laborers should change, should go out to escape poverty".
Mr. Nguyen Qui Quy - Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Quang Nam province - said that in recent times, vocational education in the mountainous areas of the province has been implemented through many programs and projects. However, the majority of laborers in ethnic minority and mountainous areas have not participated in vocational training, career change or increased income from the jobs they are doing every day.
In 2024, the province allocated more than 15 billion VND to implement policies to support vocational training and work at home and abroad for laborers in mountainous areas and ethnic minorities.
Hundreds of policy communication sessions have been organized by the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in poor districts in mountainous areas of the province. This is an activity within the framework of the Project on developing vocational education and creating jobs for laborers in ethnic minority and mountainous areas under the National Target Program on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Vocational training associated with job creation
After a 4-month vocational training course at Quang Nam College, mountainous campus, Mr. A Lang Rit in Nam Giang was recruited by Thaco Company to work in the Lao market.
“I am supported with vocational training costs, accommodation, travel and job referrals in Laos. The working conditions here are very good. Every month, I save about 8 million to send home to support my family and children,” A Lang Rit said excitedly.
Mr. Nguyen Qui Quy added that the beneficiaries of the policy from the Project on vocational education development and job creation for workers in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are ethnic minority workers, Kinh workers from poor households, near-poor households living in ethnic minority and mountainous areas.
Vocational training institutions, vocational education management agencies at all levels in ethnic minority and mountainous areas; employment service centers, job placement agencies with activities related to ethnic minority workers and Kinh workers from poor and near-poor households living in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are also invested in from the program.
According to statistics, in the period 2021 - 2024, more than 10 thousand workers have received vocational training, the employment rate after vocational training is more than 70%...
“In the coming time, Quang Nam province will expand the scale, improve the quality and effectiveness of vocational education, contributing to the transformation of the labor structure, economic structure, and job creation, in accordance with the ability and aspirations. Thereby, increasing the income of laborers, meeting the requirements of socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas,” said Mr. Nguyen Qui Quy.
