US Senator Tammy Duckworth recently had a discussion on the role of education in developing a diverse, inclusive and innovative workforce. The event was attended by journalists, experts in the fields of training and recruitment, many students and faces of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative. This is a US government program to train skills, improve leadership capacity of young people in the region, strengthen the relationship between the US and Southeast Asia, and at the same time nurture a community of leaders working across borders to solve common problems. US Senator Tammy Duckworth, a former US Army Lieutenant Colonel, is the first woman with a disability elected to the US Congress. She is also the first Thai-American to serve in the US Congress. Having lost both legs and only partial use of her right arm after being seriously injured in Iraq, she has undergone more than 20 surgeries to recover her health. However, she has continued to rise up, overcome her fate, always strive to serve the community, work and contribute to the rights of people with disabilities, women, as well as always care about and contribute to the fields of infrastructure, environment and education. The idea of ​​​​"incubators" for the young workforce During the conversation about the role of education in developing a diverse, integrated and innovative workforce, Ms. Duckworth shared her perspective on the workforce in Vietnam, with a large proportion of young people. She commented: "The young workforce is a great advantage, when it has the ability to develop strongly, helping to increase competitiveness on a global scale. The young workforce helps to contribute effectively to the economy for a longer period of time. In particular, young people are often more dynamic, with many startup ideas as well as creative solutions."

Senator Tammy Duckworth during a conversation on July 17. Photo: Xuan Minh

Possessing a young workforce, according to her, Vietnam needs to create conditions and provide assistance to turn start-up ideas into reality, helping young people achieve their goals. The female senator also believes that the lack of experience among young people can be an obstacle, and needs to be balanced through the companionship, leadership and guidance of experienced predecessors. Ms. Duckworth also gave an example of business "incubators" in the state of Illinois, USA, where she lives and works: "We have many incubators for businesses, where young people can come up with ideas about production and business. Here, experienced people, retired businessmen participate in guiding these young people in the process of starting a business." According to the female politician, it is important to ensure a balance between generations. In the context of the US and Vietnam upgrading to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Senator Tammy Duckworth emphasized cooperation in the field of education. She said that exchange programs are extremely important. Young people in Vietnam do not necessarily have to go to the US to study for 4 years and vice versa. Therefore, increasing short-term exchange programs between the two countries, with a duration of 6 months or more, contributes significantly to broadening the understanding of young people in the US and Vietnam in many aspects. Creating conditions for people with disabilities and women is the way to develop a diverse, integrated, and innovative workforce.

Senator Tammy Duckworth has inspired many American women. Photo: Vogue

Ms. Tammy Duckworth also pays special attention to disabled workers. In her office, there is always room for young people with disabilities to apply for jobs, do internships or seek certain support. She said that in the US, people with disabilities are a loyal workforce, tending to stay with businesses for a long time. Therefore, there needs to be policies to recruit people with disabilities, give them opportunities and make them part of the workforce. Senator Duckworth is one of 25 women serving in the US Senate. Over the years, she has always strived for gender equality, supporting women in general and mothers in particular. The disabled female politician inspires American women, as the first female senator to bring her child to the Senate (after the regulation allowing new mothers to bring children under 1 year old to the Senate and breastfeed while voting). According to Ms. Duckworth, raising children is not just a woman's story, but also affects both genders in the role of father and mother. She emphasized that women need to be given maximum conditions to be able to promote their role in the workplace, with the support of services, especially child care services. The female Senator affirmed that creating conditions and helping women demonstrate their leadership capacity is also one of the ways to help develop a diverse, inclusive and innovative workforce.

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