The rate of trained workers is still low.
In recent years, with the support policies of the State, rural workers and ethnic minority workers have been trained in vocational skills; many workers after receiving vocational training have had stable livelihoods, contributing to promoting economic transformation in rural and mountainous areas.
In 2023 alone, according to the General Statistics Office, the country recruited 2.295 million new workers to participate in vocational training, reaching 100% of the set plan. Of which, college and intermediate levels recruited 530,000 people; elementary levels and other vocational training programs recruited 1.765 million people.
It is estimated that in 2023, the number of students graduating from vocational training courses will be 2.043 million, reaching 100% of the set target. Of which, college and intermediate levels will be 346 thousand people; elementary level and other training programs will be 1.697 million people. This is quite an impressive result in the field of vocational training.
Previously, in 10 years (2012 - 2022), implementing Directive No. 19-CT/TW, dated November 5, 2012 of the Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership in vocational training for rural workers, nearly 10 million rural workers nationwide received vocational training; of which, nearly 4.6 million people received vocational training support.
Although vocational training has made a breakthrough (in terms of quantity), the rate of rural workers who have received training and have certificates is still very low compared to the current labor force. In 2023, according to the General Statistics Office, the country's labor force was 52.4 million people, but the trained rate was only 27%, equivalent to 14.1 million people.
That means, by the end of 2023, the whole country still has 83% of untrained workers, equivalent to 38.3 million people. The vast majority of untrained workers are in rural areas and ethnic minority workers.
The vast majority have not been trained, so ethnic minority workers mainly do simple jobs with low incomes.
National Assembly Delegate Tran Nhat Minh
Delegation of National Assembly Deputies of Nghe An province.
On November 27, 2024, within the framework of the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, giving opinions on the draft Law on Employment (amended), National Assembly Delegate (NAD) Tran Nhat Minh (NA Delegation of Nghe An province) said that according to the results of the investigation to collect information on the socio-economic situation of 53 ethnic minorities in 2019, the whole country has nearly 4 million ethnic minority workers; but the rate of vocational training is only about 3%; equivalent to about 120 thousand workers.
“Currently, in the Northern Midlands and Mountains, on average, out of 100 workers, only 19 have been trained (primary, intermediate, college, university); the Central Highlands and the Mekong Delta are even lower, with only 13-16 trained workers out of 100 workers,” said delegate Minh.
On that basis, delegate Tran Nhat Minh suggested that the agency drafting the revised Law on Employment should continue to research and propose policies to develop ethnic minority human resources to solve employment and create sustainable jobs through training programs to improve vocational skills for ethnic minorities.
Review of vocational training facilities
In the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development in Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 Period (National Target Program 1719), the goal is that by 2025, 50% of ethnic minority workers of working age (equivalent to about 2 million workers) will receive vocational training suitable to the needs, working conditions and characteristics of the locality.
According to the results of information collection on the socio-economic situation of 53 ethnic minorities in 2019 (only 3% of laborers have been trained, equivalent to about 120,000 people), in the period of 2021 - 2025, on average, each year there must be over 400,000 ethnic minority laborers trained, equivalent to a rate of over 9%/year.
This task is very difficult to accomplish. The 2023 employment report of the General Statistics Office clearly shows this. By the end of 2023, the rate of trained workers will only reach 27%, an increase of 0.6% compared to 2022 (26.4%).
One of the current limitations in vocational training for rural workers and ethnic minority workers is the lack of vocational training facilities. According to the General Statistics Office, as of December 2023, the country had 1,886 vocational training facilities, including: 339 colleges; 429 secondary schools and 1,058 vocational training centers - continuing education.
In ethnic minority and mountainous areas, there are few vocational schools and vocational training centers. Therefore, people in these areas have difficulty receiving vocational training, and when they return to urban areas to study, they do not receive support from the National Target Program 1719.
Not only is there a shortage in quantity, but facilities and equipment at vocational training establishments, especially in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, do not meet training requirements. This affects the quality of vocational training for rural and ethnic minority workers.
According to National Assembly Delegate Sung A Lenh (National Assembly Delegation of Lao Cai Province), in the National Target Program 1719, Colleges, District-level Vocational Education - Continuing Education Centers, District-level General Technical Centers for Vocational Guidance, Vocational Training and Continuing Education in ethnic minority and mountainous areas are the investment objects of Sub-project 3 of Project 5.
“However, the locations of these vocational training facilities are often not located in particularly difficult areas, so according to regulations, they are not allowed to be invested in. Therefore, it is necessary to add these facilities to the investment portfolio, creating conditions for localities to implement the goals and tasks of the program,” delegate Sung A Lenh suggested.
This is also the opinion of many National Assembly deputies at the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly when giving opinions on the proposal to adjust the investment policy of the Government's National Target Program 1719.
The Government's proposal to adjust a number of investment subjects under the National Target Program 1719 was approved by the 15th National Assembly in Resolution No. 142/2024/QH15, dated June 29, 2024. The Ethnic Committee has completed the Feasibility Study Report to adjust the National Target Program 1719 for the State Appraisal Council to appraise.
In the context that vocational training facilities in ethnic minority and mountainous areas (headquarters not located in particularly difficult areas) are included in the investment scope of the National Target Program 1719, this is an opportunity to promote vocational training for rural and ethnic minority workers in the coming time.
Therefore, collecting information on the number of vocational training facilities in communes/wards and towns in the survey on the socio-economic situation of 53 ethnic minorities in 2024 is a preparatory step, creating a basis for developing investment projects and upgrading vocational training facilities from the capital of the National Target Program 1719.
In Directive No. 37-CT/TW, dated July 10, 2024 on innovation in vocational training for rural workers to meet the requirements of industrialization and modernization of agriculture and rural areas, the Secretariat requested that Party committees, Party organizations, and authorities at all levels research and implement programs and promulgate policies on vocational training for rural workers by 2030, in conjunction with the implementation of national target programs for the period 2021 - 2030; continue to prioritize vocational training for workers who are policy beneficiaries, meritorious people, people from poor households, near-poor households, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities.
Identifying the socio-economic situation according to the commune survey: Promoting agricultural and forestry product processing activities (Part 5)
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