Over 1.6 million jobs were generated in 2006, reported the Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA).

The ministry has recognised the foreign economic sector as the leader in this term for providing hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

A MOLISA survey in 2005 also showed the link of the achievement with the economic restructuring programme. As a result, the industrial and services sectors made up 17.9 percent and 25.3 percent, respectively, of the national workforce while the agricultural workforce decreased to 56.8 percent from 80 percent.

The National Employment Promotion Fund has disbursed thousands of billions of VND in soft credits for medium and small-sized enterprises, families and individuals to either start up or expand their businesses, creating a large number of new jobs.

Labour export has given a hand in reducing the pressure on domestic labour market as almost 79,000 people were sent abroad as guest workers in 2006, reported MOLISA.

Labour quality has also seen a major progress through intensive vocational training programmes. With over 1 million were equipped with lifeskills, skilled workers have so far made up 27 percent of the national workforce.

In addition to 1,700 vocational training establishments nationwide, workers now have numerous opportunities to improve their skills such as on-the-workplace and overseas training.

Experts however warned of numerous problems in employment and vocational training, citing up to 73 percent of the national workforce still untrained.

Low labour quality will cause a major pressure on labour supply services, especially amidst fast urbanisation and global integration, as well as to reduce the competitiveness of individual workers and the entire economy, said experts.

Labour migrations among different areas and countries have also posed a challenge to economic development, they said.

For a solution, MOLISA, in association with relevant ministries and industries, is working on a legal system that aims to remove barriers for businesses of all economic sectors to develop, thus generating more and more jobs.

The ministry is also conducting surveys on the labour issue and finalising an information system on the labour market. Joint efforts with local administrations have also been made to push up employement promotions as well as labour export in the localities which are being urbanised, said the labour think-tank.

MOLISA has also talked of intensifying investment in restructuring the vocational training network on a way that will improve the labour quality as well as meet demands of different markets.

Source: Vietnam Agency