Despite abundant supply, businesses are still facing labor shortages.

With over 1.2 million workers, nearly 40% of whom are young people, Dak Lak province is considered to have an advantage in terms of human resources.

However, while many businesses are "desperate" for workers, a significant number of young people are choosing seasonal jobs, causing a continued imbalance between labor supply and demand.

In the first 10 months of 2025, the Provincial Employment Service Center (under the Department of Internal Affairs) collected recruitment information from 2,275 businesses, with a total recruitment demand of 33,107 positions, of which unskilled labor accounted for 94%. However, only 8,815 people registered to look for jobs (reaching a rate of 26.6%). This shows that the labor supply has not met the market demand, especially in the unskilled labor group.

According to Mr. Le Hai Ly, Director of the Provincial Employment Service Center, out of the total number of businesses registering for recruitment, businesses within the province account for 93%, while the rest are from outside the province. Although the number of businesses from outside the province is 12 times smaller, the recruitment demand is almost equal to that of businesses within the province (16,200/16,907 positions). This reflects the "shortage" of unskilled labor in industrial parks and export processing zones in major provinces and cities such as Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City, especially in the food processing, manufacturing, and component production sectors.

Workers from Cu Pơng commune participate in the 2025 Job Fair.

Meanwhile, the majority of businesses recruiting workers in Dak Lak province are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), operating in a dispersed manner with small-scale recruitment, making it difficult to attract workers. On the other hand, most local workers live in rural areas and ethnic minority regions, accustomed to agricultural production. Many workers tend to choose freelance, seasonal jobs with quick income and few commitments rather than long-term employment in a corporate environment.

Mr. Y Phun Nie (from Cu Pong commune) worked as a factory worker in Binh Duong Industrial Park (Ho Chi Minh City) for over 4 years. During Tet 2025, he quit his job and returned to his hometown to work as a laborer. He said that working as a factory worker outside the province provided a stable salary, but he had to pay extra for food, accommodation, and transportation. Picking coffee or tending durian trees, on the other hand, earned about 200,000-400,000 VND per day, was closer to home, and allowed him to manage his time more effectively to help his family. However, he also admitted that his current work was only seasonal and provided an unstable income.

“ Dak Lak province has a great advantage in terms of young human resources, but without policies to attract and retain them, this workforce will continue to migrate. For a balanced and sustainable job market, we must help workers see opportunities for long-term development,” said Le Hai Ly, Director of the Provincial Employment Service Center .

In response to this situation, the Provincial Employment Service Center has intensified its efforts to connect with, advise, and support workers. From the beginning of 2025 to the present, the Center has organized 21 job fairs, 36 counseling sessions, and 2 large-scale job fairs, reaching over 46,000 workers directly and through online channels such as Facebook, Zalo, and TikTok. This has created opportunities for many workers to find stable employment.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Toan (from Ea Sup commune) was initially hesitant to move far from home, but after attending a job fair held locally in September 2025, she was hired by an agricultural import-export service company in Buon Ho ward. “At first, I was very worried, but now I’m used to it. The company pays me 7 million VND per month and provides insurance, so I feel much more secure than working independently,” Ms. Toan shared.

In many localities within the province, connecting workers with businesses to create jobs is identified as a key step in poverty reduction efforts.

For example, Cu Pong commune has over 17,400 inhabitants, of which ethnic minorities account for 67% of the population. For the period 2025-2030, the commune's People's Committee aims to create 3,500 new jobs. Mr. Nguyen The Anh, Chairman of the commune's People's Committee, said that the commune's poverty rate is still 17%. Because people are still accustomed to seasonal work, the local authorities focus on promoting, linking training, and supporting loan access; strengthening coordination with the Provincial Employment Service Center to organize job fairs and job exchanges in the commune to help people easily access businesses and open up opportunities for stable employment.

The Dak Lak Provincial Employment Service Center has launched a vocational training course on treating neck and shoulder pain for unemployed workers receiving unemployment benefits. (Photo: Nguyen Tham)

In Hoa Hiep ward, according to the 2025 survey results, there are 21,015 people of working age (accounting for 47.6% of the population). This is an abundant workforce, but according to the local government's assessment, 45.07% of the workforce is still employed in agriculture. Meanwhile, the percentage of trained workers is 45.26%, but only 35.57% have diplomas or certificates. The majority of workers rely on experience and have not received vocational training.

Mr. Duong Van Dong, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoa Hiep Ward, informed that the locality is reviewing and categorizing workers to connect them with businesses inside and outside the area to create opportunities for workers to participate in the labor market; at the same time, promoting short-term vocational training and encouraging workers to explore the labor export market to increase their income. Thanks to these comprehensive solutions, the job creation work in Hoa Hiep Ward has seen positive changes. To date, 1,000 workers have been provided with jobs by 2025, with 810 people already employed in the first nine months of this year, and the ward is expected to complete 100% of the set plan.

In reality, although many localities have proactively implemented measures to connect businesses, open vocational training classes, and create local jobs for people, to reduce the "mismatch" between labor and employment, vocational training needs to be tailored to actual needs, and appropriate incentive policies are needed to retain workers in businesses.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/kinh-te/202511/nguon-cung-doi-dao-doanh-nghiep-van-khat-lao-dong-71000f3/