Lesson 3: When businesses break their promises...
(Baonghean) -The demand for jobs of workers after their land is recovered is very high. However, businesses make empty promises, and the locality does not pay attention to vocational training for the people...
In recent times, along with the process of industrialization and modernization, many agricultural land areas have been recovered to serve the purpose of socio-economic development. Every year, the area of agricultural land recovered for industrial development is about 1,000 hectares, not to mention the area for urban development of about 500 hectares. In some districts alone such as Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Vinh City, Nghia Dan... the area of agricultural land recovered for industrial development in recent years has reached tens of thousands of hectares, of which the majority is agricultural land. In the planning from now to 2020, the area of agricultural land recovered may double. This means that many people in the area of land recovery will be seriously unemployed. This reality has been and is giving rise to issues that need to be addressed.
Currently, the number of enterprises operating in industrial parks (IPs) in our province is quite large, but they do not create many job opportunities. In Nam Cam IP, there are currently 24 enterprises in production, but the number of workers whose land has been recovered is insignificant. In Nghi Long Commune, the number of workers affected by land recovery is more than 700 people, but only more than 40 people are employed there. Most of the people have to find jobs for themselves, such as working as workers in the South, working as construction workers, seasonal workers, or staying at home to cling to the little remaining agricultural land.
Only a few garment companies provide jobs for many workers.
Mr. Nguyen Van Ba - Head of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Nghi Loc district said: Enterprises in the industrial parks in the district do not employ many workers, the largest enterprise employs 400 workers, the smallest 20 workers. Most enterprises only employ about ten workers. Job opportunities at factories in the industrial parks for workers whose land has been reclaimed are also very limited.
The advantage of local workers when enterprises recruit is that they do not have to support housing and transportation. Before starting operations, enterprises have signed a commitment to prioritize recruiting local workers, especially workers whose land has been recovered. But the reality is different. Mr. Nguyen Quoc Trung, Vice Chairman of Nghi Long Commune People's Committee (Nghi Loc) said: "When working with the government, they (enterprises - PV) promised the people that they would quickly hire people to work, but when the company started operating, they did not care?" The commune leaders have visited the enterprises many times to discuss this issue, but have never met directly with the enterprise leaders. The locality has also made many recommendations to all levels but has not been satisfactorily resolved."
Ms. Doan Thi Kim Oanh, Department of Labor Enterprise Management - Dong Nam Economic Zone Management Board said: Enterprises signing a commitment to prioritize recruiting local workers is a procedure that must be carried out before starting operations. However, there is no legal basis requiring enterprises to recruit local workers, so Dong Nam Economic Zone Management Board only stops at the level of mobilizing, calling for, and guiding enterprises to recruit workers. In its function, the Board annually establishes an inspection team to inspect the implementation of labor laws at these enterprises. After the inspection, if any enterprise has not implemented well, the Board will send an official dispatch urging the enterprise to comply properly. If the enterprise deliberately violates, the Board will send an official dispatch requesting the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to impose penalties according to regulations.
One of the difficulties that makes enterprises reluctant to recruit local workers is the lack of skills. Therefore, this is one of the subjects included in the Vocational Training Project for Rural Workers according to Decision 1956 of the Government. In recent years, vocational training for these subjects has been carried out by authorities at all levels and organizations in localities where land has been recovered. However, the quantity and efficiency have not been high. According to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, in 3 years (2010 - 2012), the total number of agricultural workers trained in vocational training was 20,927 people, of which 2,456 workers had their land recovered. The number of employed workers was 1,950 people, accounting for 9.3% of the trained workers. In Quynh Luu district, in the past 2 years, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in coordination with the Bac Nghe An Vocational Training School has only opened 2 classes with 60 students from 2 communes Quynh Loc and Quynh Di with 2 occupations: veterinary and poultry farming. Currently, these 2 classes have not finished. Mr. Le Duy Trung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Loc commune (Quynh Luu) said: In the compensation money, there is money to support career conversion, but people here do not know what career to change to. Meanwhile, vocational training has not received real attention.
Not only are the results low, but the training content is not close to the actual situation and needs of businesses due to lack of coordination between the parties. In the past 3 years, Nghi Long commune has opened 5 classes, 150 students participating in occupations such as welding, veterinary, flower growing and bamboo weaving, but in fact, workers are not interested in learning a trade. Many workers only study for 1 session and then quit. As for those who have certificates after finishing the course, they have to find jobs for themselves because it is very difficult to find jobs at businesses in the area. Mr. Dang Doan Phong, hamlet 1, Nghi Long commune, after participating in welding training, but up to now, he still cannot find a job at factories in the industrial park. Mr. Trung added that most of the people who have been trained in a trade find it difficult to change their jobs. The commune has repeatedly asked the district to see which companies have needs for which industries and occupations so that they can provide appropriate training and create jobs for the people, but so far there has been no change.
Due to choosing an unsuitable career, even though they have been trained, they are still unemployed because they do not meet the recruitment needs of businesses in their locality, because the government and vocational training centers do not have a direct connection with businesses to guide vocational training for participants.
Why is the vocational training for workers whose land has been recovered low? Mr. Kieu Ngoc Thanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Quynh Luu district, said that the difficulty in vocational training is that the labor sector does not know whether enterprises are recruiting local workers or not, and if so, how many will be recruited? Currently, the number of enterprises operating in Hoang Mai Industrial Park is very small, and these enterprises do not work with the sector on recruitment needs after starting operations. Therefore, it is very difficult for the district to orient what vocational training to provide for workers after their land has been recovered. This leads to low vocational training efficiency. In addition, communes with recovered land areas are still confused in propaganda, mobilization and vocational training registration for people. "People are wondering whether they will have jobs in the industrial park after finishing vocational training? But we ourselves cannot answer this question. We must frankly admit that the output for vocational training is very difficult"! Mr. Thanh shared.
Q.Lan – P.Bang