Unemployed workers do not want to learn a trade?

(Baonghean) -Since the beginning of 2012, the whole province has had 7,848 people apply for unemployment insurance benefits, but only 25 of them have registered for vocational training. Why do unemployed workers not want to learn a trade, while they are supported by the policy of vocational training for people receiving full preferential unemployment insurance benefits?

Recently, in the morning, the Unemployment Insurance Department - Nghe An Province Employment Service Center is more crowded with people coming to register for unemployment insurance benefits. On average, the Unemployment Insurance Department receives more than 30 applications per day. Most of the people who come to apply for unemployment benefits are unskilled workers, but when the Center's staff gives them advice and vocational training, everyone shakes their heads.



Workers register for unemployment insurance benefits at Nghe An Vocational Training and Employment Center.

Nguyen Van Thuat (born in 1992) from Don Phuc - Con Cuong, graduated from high school in 2010. Due to difficult family circumstances, he did not continue studying but applied to work as a worker at a helmet manufacturing facility in Binh Duong Industrial Park with a salary of 2.2 million VND/month. After more than 2 years of working away from home, this past Tet, he decided to quit his job and return to his hometown with the hope of finding a job close to home that was suitable for his health. When the Center's staff advised him to learn a trade, he did not agree and said he would find a job himself.

Tran Thi Hoai (born in 1990) in Da Son - Do Luong, graduated from high school, she applied to work as a worker for Electronics Company Limited in Ho Chi Minh City with an income of 2.9 million VND/month. During the recent Tet holiday, she quit her job to return to her hometown with the hope of finding a more suitable job. When asked why she did not register for vocational training under the support policy of the Unemployment Insurance, she shared: "I just want to follow the electronic component assembly profession that I have mastered over the years and do not want to change careers. Because changing careers will take a long time to learn and during this time there will be no income. After finishing vocational training, I do not know if I will be able to find a job or not."

According to Ms. Lam Thi Que - Head of the Unemployment Insurance Department, Nghe An Vocational Training and Employment Center, the main reason why unemployed workers do not want to learn a trade is because the regulation on vocational training support is still low, only 300,000 VND/month, the maximum training time is not more than 6 months. With such a support level and short training time, workers are only trained in elementary vocational skills, and after graduation, it is not easy to find a job. And if they do find a job, the salary difference between high school and elementary level is not high, so workers choose to find a job immediately after unemployment rather than learning a trade.

In fact, with elementary vocational training courses, workers are not capable enough to improve their working skills. If they want to improve their skills, they have to spend extra money. Meanwhile, the majority of unemployed workers in the province are manual workers, their lives are already difficult. When they lose their jobs, unemployment benefits only cover part of the difficulties in life, so where can they get money to reinvest in a new job? Therefore, their common mentality is to spend that time doing other jobs to maintain their lives rather than investing in vocational training.

During the recent Lunar New Year holiday, many workers in industrial zones in the southern provinces quit their jobs and returned to their hometowns to find new jobs due to low wages, high prices, and poor living conditions. In 2012, 6,066 workers applied for unemployment benefits, of which 1,589 were unemployed in the province and 4,879 were transferred from other provinces. In the first 3 months of 2013 alone (up to March 20), 1,782 workers applied for unemployment insurance benefits, of which 329 were unemployed in the province and 1,488 were transferred from other provinces.

Discussing this issue, Mr. Nguyen Dang Duong - Head of the Department of Employment - Labor - Wages - Social Insurance, Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said: In order for vocational training for unemployed workers to be effective, the Government needs to change the policy of supporting vocational training for unemployed workers appropriately. In addition, there needs to be a connection between labor supply and demand, specifically the support of local businesses so that workers can have jobs immediately after completing their studies.

Sharing the same opinion with Mr. Nguyen Dang Duong, Mr. Cao Van Bao - Deputy Head of Unemployment Insurance Department - Vocational Training and Job Introduction Center said: In addition to adjusting the vocational training fee support level to a higher level and extending the vocational training period, it is necessary to have the participation of enterprises. Specifically, if enterprises need workers in a certain profession or field, they will directly open training classes for workers in that profession, the training costs will be deducted from the Unemployment Insurance source by the Social Insurance to pay for the enterprise. After completing the course, the enterprise will accept workers to work in the profession that the enterprise has trained them. Only when seeing the "output" can we hope to influence the awareness of workers so that they are willing to learn a profession and change their profession appropriately, in order to reduce the unemployment rate in the area, contributing to ensuring social security.

Vo Huyen (Vinh City)