Current Affairs

Management Board of Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone: Working closely with businesses to recruit workers.

Nguyen Son (Editor) • February 5, 2025 20:57

With Nghe An province actively attracting investment, many foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises are now operating and require a large workforce. Based on this, the Management Board of the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone is actively implementing various solutions to support businesses in recruiting sufficient labor to serve their development.

With Nghe An province actively attracting investment, many foreign direct investment (FDI) enterprises are now operating and require a large workforce. Based on this, the Management Board of the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone is actively implementing various solutions to support businesses in recruiting sufficient labor to serve development. Nghe An Newspaper had an interview with Mr. Le Tien Tri, Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Management Board of the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone, on this matter.

Nguyen Son - Huu Quan(Execution) • February 5, 2025

PV:With Nghe An province's abundant labor force and the success of attracting investment in recent years, the labor market in the province has become vibrant. How do you assess the development trends of the labor market in Nghe An?

Comrade Le Tien Tri:It can be said that in recent years, Nghe An has become a bright spot in attracting investment, especially in proactively preparing the conditions to successfully receive the wave of foreign direct investment (FDI) shifting to Vietnam. As the agency advising on the development of economic zones and industrial parks in the province, from the beginning of its term, the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone (Management Board) has developed a Project to build the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone into a driving force for the province's economic growth in the 2021-2025 period (Project 4514), with specific goals, tasks, and solutions focusing on prioritizing the development of infrastructure in industrial parks with clean land, synchronous technical infrastructure, and meeting environmental protection requirements to serve investment attraction.

After more than four years of implementation, the Management Board advised the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Prime Minister a proposal to establish five new industrial parks with strategic investors VSIP, WHA, and Hoang Thinh Dat as the main investors, covering a total area of ​​1,637.14 hectares. This is an important condition that has enabled Nghe An to make a strong breakthrough in attracting investors in recent years.

Along with the right investment attraction efforts, coupled with substantial improvements to the investment environment under the motto "5 readinesses," the "one-stop shop, on-site" mechanism has placed Nghe An province among the top 10 localities attracting the most foreign investment in the country for three consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024). By the end of 2024, the province had 151 active FDI projects with a total registered investment capital of over 5.87 billion USD. Global technology corporations such as Luxshare ICT, Goertek, Foxconn, Sunny, Everwin, and Juteng have established production facilities in the Southeast Economic Zone, with an investment value of nearly 2.7 billion USD.

With the rapid increase in foreign direct investment (FDI), which has made a significant contribution to socio-economic development, especially in the rapid increase in production value, industrial proportion, and import-export turnover, the Management Board has also proactively proposed and coordinated with the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs and other relevant agencies to advise the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial Party Standing Committee for the issuance of Directive No. 33-CT/TU on strengthening the Party's leadership in connecting labor supply and demand, resolving employment issues, and attracting labor for domestic and FDI enterprises in the province, for the period 2025-2030. This is an important political basis for Party committees, governments at all levels, enterprises, and investors to effectively address employment issues and care for the lives of workers in the province, especially... Localities with industrial zones located within their boundaries help the local labor market function more efficiently and in a more positive direction.

PV:Could you elaborate on the policies and activities of Nghe An province and the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board aimed at supporting businesses in recruiting workers and creating a sense of security for workers in the province?

Comrade Le Tien Tri:Over the years, along with promoting investment attraction, Nghe An province has implemented many solutions to support businesses in recruiting labor to meet development requirements. Besides promoting awareness of businesses' recruitment needs, the province has directed all levels and sectors to gradually link vocational training with the labor needs of businesses. The Management Board of the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone has been very active in supporting businesses, especially FDI businesses investing in the area. From assisting in exploring investment opportunities to resolving post-investment procedures and coordinating labor recruitment, the Management Board of the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone has effectively supported businesses. In 2024, the Board coordinated with departments, localities, and vocational schools to organize many activities connecting labor recruitment, and collaborated with the Nghi Loc District People's Committee to organize a "Job Fair" in September 2024, connecting labor supply and demand for businesses, helping businesses recruit over 30,000 new workers.

In early January 2025, to effectively implement Directive 33 of the Provincial Party Committee, the Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone coordinated the review and statistical analysis of labor recruitment needs of businesses to advise relevant levels, sectors, and localities on organizing activities to promote and encourage Nghe An workers to work in industrial zones and potentially encourage workers who have gone away to work to return home. They issued Plan No. 02/KH-KKT to organize a job fair to connect and recruit workers for businesses in the economic zones and industrial parks of Nghe An in 2025; and established an Organizing Committee and a Support Team consisting of 27 officials and staff to organize the "Job Fair, Phase 1, 2025" on Saturday, February 8, 2025 (corresponding to the 11th day of the first lunar month).

In 2025, the Planning Board will organize three job fairs at three locations to connect businesses with potential employers: Location 1 at VSIP Industrial Park; Location 2 at WHA Industrial Park, Nam Cam; and Location 3 at Hoang Mai Industrial Park I and II. The organization of the "First Job Fair of 2025" at VSIP Industrial Park is just one of many activities to implement Directive 33 of the Provincial Party Committee. This aims to strengthen communication, mobilization, and promotion efforts to attract workers currently working or studying in provinces and cities nationwide (both from Nghe An and other provinces) to work in Nghe An. The implementation of Directive 33 of the Provincial Party Committee is also linked to forecasting the labor needs of businesses to widely inform the public and enable workers to seize recruitment opportunities.

In addition, the planning of social infrastructure to ensure suitable working conditions for laborers is also being prioritized, including social housing, schools, hospitals, urban areas, and tourism and resort facilities. To date, four social housing projects for workers have been licensed for investment, and four dormitories and accommodation facilities within industrial zones are currently providing housing for over 8,220 workers (Luxshare ICT and Everwin dormitories). It is projected that by the end of 2025, these facilities will meet the housing needs of approximately 25,818 people.

PV: How do you assess the impact of the media, as well as the work of guiding workers towards employment in the province?

Comrade Le Tien Tri:Communication efforts regarding job opportunities offered by businesses in the province have been implemented through various channels, media, and formats. These include newspapers, radio, social media, job placement centers, government agencies at all levels, and local radio broadcasts. Businesses themselves have also intensified their communication efforts across multiple channels to reach and recruit sufficient labor for development. These activities have contributed to a growing percentage of Nghe An workers employed in factories and companies within the province's industrial parks. Many workers who previously worked elsewhere have returned to their hometowns and are now employed in businesses and factories within the Southeast Nghe An Economic Zone.

However, the labor market is facing significant challenges, as businesses in many other provinces and cities are also increasing recruitment after the Covid-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, labor productivity, the quantity, and the quality of human resources still do not meet the development needs of businesses in the area; income levels are still inadequate and do not meet the living needs of workers; in addition, social and service infrastructure does not meet the needs of experts, managers, and highly skilled workers.

This reality requires workers in the province to have a clearer understanding of job opportunities so they can learn a trade that matches the recruitment needs of businesses. Nowadays, businesses have very high demands on workers in terms of skills, awareness, and responsibility. Therefore, workers must not only have strong skills but also develop an awareness of complying with labor procedures according to legal regulations and agreements between businesses and workers.

Service providers in the province also need to keep up with the trend, both improving their service capacity for experts and high-skilled workers, and adjusting their operating models to meet the income levels of workers in the province.

The Management Board of the Southeast Economic Zone will continue to coordinate with all levels, sectors, and businesses to orient vocational training closely to the practical needs of businesses in the area. This will promote the improvement of the quality and effectiveness of vocational training to meet the requirements of the labor market; focusing on developing vocational fields suitable for attracting investment, especially FDI projects in the global supply chain of electronics and green energy that are expanding in the province, contributing to creating sustainable jobs for workers and ensuring that businesses can recruit enough personnel when they become operational.

PV:According to you, what solutions are needed from the business side to recruit enough and retain employees?

Comrade Le Tien Tri:In numerous meetings and interactions, we often discuss with businesses and investors in the province the need to coordinate with all levels, sectors, and localities to maintain a connection channel with the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Provincial Employment Service Center, the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns, and universities, colleges, and vocational training institutions in the province. This is to ensure readiness for labor recruitment and vocational training to meet current and projected labor force needs for businesses in the future.

Businesses regularly update, monitor, and compile labor recruitment needs, employment status, jobs, salaries, and bonuses at similar businesses in neighboring provinces, as well as in the North and South. Based on this information, they adjust salary levels and related policies to create transparency, increase competitiveness in recruitment, and attract workers. Besides ensuring employees receive the correct and full salary, businesses need to create a harmonious, stable, and progressive work environment to ensure employees feel secure and committed to the company in the long term.

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Besides ensuring that employees receive the correct and full wages, businesses need to create a harmonious, stable, and progressive working environment so that employees feel secure and committed to the company in the long term."

Comrade Le Tien Tri - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board

Furthermore, businesses and investors need to proactively collaborate with universities, colleges, and vocational training institutions to promote training based on a contract-based approach, linking businesses' responsibility in human resource development. This will build strong, long-term strategic relationships; businesses must participate appropriately in various stages of the training process. Training institutions need to regularly adjust and update their training programs with new technologies; at the same time, businesses should focus on coordinating investment in teaching facilities with vocational training institutions.

Businesses also need to collaborate with relevant agencies in Nghe An to build an information system on the labor market in economic zones and industrial parks. This system aims to connect labor supply and demand, enabling workers in the province, as well as those working in other localities and abroad, to access information and understand the recruitment needs of businesses, allowing them to make suitable choices. When workers see tangible benefits in terms of employment, income, and compensation, they will not leave the province to seek employment elsewhere, but will stay or return to work in businesses in their hometown.

Businesses themselves must consider their employees as their most valuable asset and the focus of all their business activities, not only their own employees but also those of their supply chain partners. Therefore, businesses must always pay attention to and care for the material and spiritual well-being of their employees, continuing to effectively implement social security and welfare programs for workers in industrial zones. This includes providing housing for workers, organizing a good system of public welfare services in residential areas where industrial zone workers live (electricity, roads, water supply, cultural centers, childcare facilities, information, sports and entertainment facilities, etc.), ensuring adequate care for employees while creating a competitive work environment with many opportunities for advancement, so that employees can feel secure and work long-term and stably in the province.

PV:Thank you, comrade!