Attention to vocational training for workers in mountainous areas

In recent years, along with the implementation of the Ethnic Affairs Strategy for the period 2021 - 2030, Phu Tho province has paid special attention to vocational training and job creation for workers in highland, ethnic minority and mountainous areas. This is considered a key solution to help people promote their internal strength, escape poverty sustainably and contribute to narrowing the development gap between mountainous and delta areas.

Positive change

After the merger, Phu Tho province has more than 1 million ethnic minorities, accounting for about 25.2% of the province's population. It is expected that according to the new Draft criteria, the whole province will have 91 communes and wards in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, including 43 communes in area III, 7 communes in area II and 41 communes in area I. In the years 2021 - 2025, along with the implementation of national target programs, vocational training and job creation for highland workers are identified by the province as key tasks in socio -economic development.

According to the report of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions, in the period of 2021 - 2025, the whole province has supported vocational training for more than 22,000 ethnic minorities. Of which, 12,712 people participated in 173 on-site vocational training models, 9,462 people received short-term vocational training support, 75 people were granted national vocational certificates, 8 people were trained in foreign languages ​​and skills to work abroad for a limited period. In addition, more than 1,900 workers were consulted and introduced to jobs, nearly 13,000 people were consulted on career orientation, entrepreneurship and vocational training, 3,000 commune and district-level officials were trained to implement vocational training programs in ethnic minority areas.

Notably, vocational training models associated with sustainable livelihood development are flexibly implemented according to local conditions such as: farming, animal husbandry, civil carpentry, garment making, agricultural processing, agricultural machinery repair... Many highland localities have formed small production groups and agricultural cooperatives directly operated by trained workers, bringing in stable income of 6 - 8 million VND/person/month.

Song Da Vocational College trains and grants car driving certificates to a large number of ethnic minority youth in the province.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thang - Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions said: "Vocational training for highland workers is closely linked to the labor needs of enterprises and on-site production models. In the coming time, the province will strengthen vocational training associated with community tourism , supporting industries and agricultural and forestry processing so that learners can have jobs right after the course."

Along with vocational training, the province also provided job counseling to over 12,000 ethnic minority people, organized mobile job fairs in highland communes, supported start-ups and connected investments for hundreds of small production models. These results have contributed significantly to helping the rate of trained ethnic minority workers reach about 60%, of which 40% have vocational certificates - a figure considered a clear step forward compared to the previous period.

Problems arise

Despite many positive results, vocational training for workers in the highlands still faces many difficulties. First of all, the physical conditions and vocational training equipment are still limited. Among the total 15 vocational training facilities that have been invested, many centers still lack modern equipment, and the practice rooms do not meet the requirements of training in the direction of commodity production.

Another difficulty is that investment resources are not commensurate. Funding for vocational training and job placement must be largely integrated from national target programs. Mobilizing social resources, especially from enterprises and cooperatives to participate in training and receiving workers in highland areas is still limited.

Mr. Bui Van Cuong - Vice Chairman of Thuong Coc Commune People's Committee shared: "Highland people are familiar with traditional farming, so at first they were not interested in learning a new profession. Local authorities must persistently propagate and mobilize each household. When they see that after finishing their studies they have jobs and stable incomes, then people will truly believe and proactively register to study."

In addition, the habit of self-sufficient production, the mentality of waiting and relying on the State of a part of the population is still a big barrier. The lack of jobs after training, the lack of connection between training facilities and businesses makes many workers, even though they have a profession, still not have stable jobs. Along with that, complex terrain, difficult traffic, and scattered population also affect the organization of classes, high operating costs, and long training time.

In addition, the team of vocational teachers at the grassroots level is still lacking and weak, especially in remote and isolated centers; the work of forecasting labor demand and planning training occupations is not close to local reality. The report of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions clearly stated: "The rate of ethnic minority workers with stable income from their occupation is still low, only reaching about 50% of those trained. The occupational structure has not really changed towards industry - services, many places still rely heavily on traditional agriculture".

Students majoring in Tour Guide, Hoa Binh College of Technology (Dan Chu Ward) are trained in the direction of "practice - practice - internship".

To make "career" truly a way out of poverty

Faced with these difficulties, Phu Tho province has been implementing many solutions to improve the quality of vocational training in mountainous areas. Vocational training institutions are given priority in investing in modern facilities and teaching equipment; training is encouraged according to the model of "hands-on training", "learning by doing" associated with the production chain and local consumption of products.

In particular, the province focuses on vocational training associated with tourism development, small-scale industry, community services, and job creation for ethnic minorities. Many models of “community tourism” and “traditional occupations associated with sustainable livelihoods” have been replicated, helping workers both preserve ethnic culture and increase their income.

Along with that, propaganda work and raising awareness about vocational training and career development are promoted through political and social organizations, especially the Women's Union, Youth Union, and Farmers' Association. Local authorities conduct surveys on people's actual vocational training needs to choose occupations suitable to production conditions and cultural characteristics of each ethnic group.

Mr. Bui Van Toan - a Muong ethnic in Van Son commune shared: "After participating in a community tourism vocational training class organized by the province, my family and I renovated an old stilt house to welcome guests. Every month, we welcome several groups of guests from inside and outside the province, and our income is stable, so our life is better than before. Thanks to vocational training, I understand that my homeland's culture can also become a source of livelihood if we know how to exploit it."

In the period of 2026 - 2030, Phu Tho aims to have over 40% of ethnic minority workers trained in appropriate vocational skills and have stable jobs, of which 50% are female workers; each year attract over 3% of highland workers to shift to the fields of industry, services, and tourism; at the same time, 100% of ethnic minority officials and civil servants have professional qualifications from intermediate level or higher.

In fact, wherever local authorities do a good job of career orientation, linking training with real needs and the labor market, the results are more obvious. Many young people of Muong, Dao, Tay ethnic groups, after learning a trade, have become "startup nuclei" in the locality, opening production workshops, developing community tourism, and providing agricultural services.

Vocational training is not only about teaching skills, but also opening up a way for people in the highlands to confidently step out of the bamboo fences of the village, integrate into the market economy, and gradually improve the quality of life. The province's attention and focused investment, along with the will to rise of ethnic minorities, are creating positive changes in the mountainous villages.

In the vision to 2030, with the orientation of sustainable development and the goal of "leaving no one behind", vocational training for highland workers will continue to be the "golden key" to help Phu Tho effectively exploit human potential, turn difficulties into opportunities, and build an increasingly prosperous and developed mountainous ethnic minority region.

Hong Duyen

Source: https://baophutho.vn/quan-tam-dao-tao-nghe-cho-lao-dong-vung-cao-241678.htm