The effectiveness of vocational training for rural workers.

(Baonghean) - In order to lift Nghe An out of poverty and essentially become an industrial province by 2020, the province has implemented many solutions to develop human resources, with a focus on vocational training for rural laborers; many vocational training models have yielded practical results...

Recognizing the importance of human resource development and the reality of the high rate of unskilled labor (over 70%, with rural laborers accounting for over 81%), in recent years, the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee have issued many resolutions and policies to develop human resources, promote vocational training, invest in infrastructure, and build many programs linking vocational training with job creation.

In the two years from 2010 to 2011, investment in strengthening the infrastructure of public vocational training institutions totaled 139.176 billion VND. Through various proactive measures, during the period from 2005 to 2010, an average of over 60,000 people in the province received vocational training each year, and this number reached 70,000 in 2011.

The production of rattan and bamboo weaving yields high economic returns in Nghi Thai commune.

In the field of vocational training for rural workers, the province has established steering committees at all levels, conducted surveys on the vocational training needs of workers, and thereby clearly identified the training fields and occupations for people in each region, linked to the socio-economic development strategy of each locality to select appropriate training fields. 48 institutions have been mobilized to provide vocational training for rural workers in the province, with specific targets assigned to relevant departments, agencies, and organizations. After completing their training, workers are provided with opportunities to borrow capital for production development and product sales.

Thanks to this, in recent years, our province has had many effective vocational training models for rural laborers, contributing to poverty reduction and economic development. Ms. Lang Thi Hong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, said: "The district has directed the restoration and development of the Quy Chau Muscovy duck breed and assigned Dieu Chau enterprise to provide vocational training in breeding techniques, disease prevention, feed supply, and guaranteed purchase of all products."

After 3 years of implementation, 200 farming households have started raising ducks with a total flock of over 40,000. Ducks raised for 4 months reach a weight of 2 kg/each, priced at 100,000 VND/kg, resulting in an average income of 40-50 million VND/year/household. Currently, the district is focusing on developing incense making and brocade weaving – these are poverty alleviation initiatives through vocational training linked to product consumption for farmers... In addition, there is the model of linking production and business with vocational training by Duc Phong Co., Ltd. - Nghi Phong - Nghi Loc. Annually, the company has created jobs for over 700 rural workers and provides materials, raw materials, designs for export-oriented rattan and bamboo products, and guarantees product purchase.

To date, the company employs 2,000 workers in traditional craft villages. A prime example of the locality where Duc Phong Company has partnered for vocational training and development is Nghi Thai commune, Nghi Loc district. In 2005, Nghi Thai was still a poor commune. Thanks to the cooperation with Duc Phong Company Limited in restoring the rattan and bamboo weaving craft, 10 out of 11 craft villages in the commune have now been restored, providing residents with stable jobs and decent incomes, and reducing the poverty rate to 6.5%.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuong, Head of the Vocational Training Management Department of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said: "Over the past two years, implementing the Government's Project 1956 on vocational training for rural laborers, as well as the policies and guidelines issued by the province, the training program has gradually moved towards meeting actual needs, such as: mountainous areas - developing forestry, agroforestry, and large-scale livestock farming; midland areas - developing fruit tree cultivation, rubber, and dairy farming; coastal areas - developing fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing, and developing small-scale handicraft villages..."

For communes with limited agricultural land, the focus is on shifting farmers towards livestock farming and non-agricultural occupations... from which vocational training courses are selected based on scientific and practical grounds. The selected and implemented models have indeed yielded real results. Specifically, vocational training for rural laborers, aimed at building new rural areas in 2012, will be intensified by shifting vocational training from training based on the existing capacity of training institutions to training based on the vocational training needs of rural laborers and the demands of the labor market.

Thanh Chung