Vocational training for rural labor force – the key for economic development

Only after 3 months of vocational training, many poor people, people with disabilities, women workers, policy beneficiaries and rural workers have had stable jobs. This is the most effective effect of vocational training for rural workers under the government's 1956 scheme on vocational training for rural workers.

Rural workers are offered training course of rubber tapping. Photo: T.V

Post-vocational yield

At the weekend, we went to the family of Tran Trung Dung and Le Thi Thap at Minh Thanh commune, Dau Tieng district to visit the orchard of his family. For a moment receiving us, they received a team of farmers in neighboring communes to learn about the model of business production of his family. Being asked about how to achieve the results today, they disclosed that they have put efforts to attend vocational training of pomelos cultivation by VietGAP standards as organized by the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Dau Tieng District.

"In 2014, my family decided to move to a new and more productive model. Learning experience in newspapers and radio, I experimented with growing green grapefruit but continually failed. After that, the district organized classes to grow fruit trees according to VietGAP standards. I participated and gained experience in cultivation. While waiting for the pomelo harvest, the family intercropped tangerine and oranges for short-term raising. At present, my family has nearly 2ha of fruit trees, giving an annual income of over VND 100 million," Dung said.

As Chairman of Minh Thanh Commune Farmer Association, Dung not only hid his farming know-how, but also created conditions for Farmer Association in the district and communes to organize classes of cultivation of grapefruit and oranges at home, practicing in his own garden. According to him, at present, Minh Thanh commune has more than 20 pomelo-growing households and is waiting for the first sweet fruit season.

Just like Dung, after being trained in rural labor, Phu Giao women do not do individual work but gather to help each other develop their family's economics from the profession they have studied. At present, the Garment Co-operative established by the District Women's Union has more than 100 members. They are the people who attended the sewing class under the 1956 scheme. When setting up the cooperative, there are orders for sewing, or assembling for the company, the board of cooperatives stands out and distributes to the members. Since then everyone's family life has been stable. Nguyen Thi Nga, a member of the cooperative happily confide her apprenticeship of sewing in 3 years. From a poor household in the commune, thanks to apprenticeship sewing, up to now she could earn from VND 3-4 million per month. She was lucky to have chosen the right course. Now, her family has a stable life.

Training for jobs

Not only the above-mentioned jobs are available after vocational training but 80% of the more than 10,000 people being trained in rural labor in 2010-2015 in the province have been offered stable jobs after vocational training courses. It is a good number for people who carry out the project to continue attracting the poor, rural workers, people with disabilities, and beneficiaries to vocational training courses; thereon, reducing the burden on society and promoting local economic development. To achieve this result, the Steering Committee of Project 1956 has focused on developing a network of vocational training centers for rural workers with 64 vocational training institutions. At the same time, material foundations and vocational training equipment have been invested for vocational training institutions. In addition, vocational teachers are important factors in the success of the project. As a result, the province has approved 29 vocational trainers to support vocational training courses in rural areas.

Considering the actual situation of each locality, the Steering Committee also selects suitable industries such as sewing, rubber tapping, fruit tree, animal husbandry, motorcycle repair, phone repair, hairdressing, cooking, banquet etc. The contents of vocational training courses are mainly practical for the learners to grasp knowledge and firmly practice immediately after learning. Pham Van Tuyen, Deputy Director of the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, emphasized that one of the outstanding achievements of the five-year implementation of the project on rural labor training was the awareness of the workers. Many models of production operate more effectively when workers themselves are equipped with knowledge and basic skills in their careers.

Preferential treatments

Aside the positive results, many inadequacies in the process of vocational training for rural workers emerged. Therefore, in 2017, the target is for about 1,380 trained and about 4,140 in the period of 2018-2020. Priority is given to non-agricultural occupations. Vo Dong Duy, Head of the Vocational Training Department of DOLISA, said that the youths in the localities now go to universities, colleges, high schools while others work in businesses. Therefore, vocational training in rural areas only enroll middle-aged people but the number is quite small. On the other hand, many vocational training programs for rural workers are not necessarily the best option for rural people.

Therefore, vocational training project for rural labor in Binh Duong from now to 2020 shall include many changes in the direction of choosing suitable training profession with the needs of economic restructuring of the province. Many supportive learning offers are significantly increased. The remaining issue of the project is to focus on quality training and ability to improve skills and increase income.

"The Steering Committee will continue to promote propaganda to raise the awareness of Party committees, administrations, cadres, Party members and people on the position and strategy of agricultural development, rural and vocational training in improving the quality of rural labor. Leaders of localities need to pay attention to and effectively guide the vocational training program for rural laborers in association with the new rural construction program, considering it a key task to quickly develop the human resources for economic and social development in 2011-2020," Pham Van Tuyen said.

Reported by Thien Ly – Translated by Vi Bao

• Policy credit requires local entrusted capital source to balance (23/04)
• Creating favorable conditions for social housing buyers (23/04)
• Giant Group pours additional US$ 120 million into Binh Duong (23/04)
• Thuan An city in striving to fulfill type-1 urban criteria (22/04)
• Vietnamese furniture products introduced at Milan Design Week (21/04)
• Local real estate market strongly attracts foreign investors (20/04)
• HCM City moves towards Net Zero (19/04)
• Further setting up project on entrusting loans to officials, civil servants and public employees for buying social housing apartments (19/04)