(Photo: sggp.org.vn) Can Tho (VNA) - Limited human resources for socio-economic development is a major challenge in the economic development of the Mekong Delta, which plays a strategic role in food exports and national food security, experts said at a seminar organised by Can Tho University and RMIT University.
The quality of human resources in the Mekong Delta is the lowest compared with other regions in the country, according to research. Between 2006 and 2011, the number of labourers undergoing training increased roughly one percent.
Between 2005 and 2013, the number of high school students fell one percent each year, a reflection of the aging population.
Fifty percent of the people in the region are employed in the agriculture sector.
In some provinces such as Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, the rate is high as 65 to 70 percent.
Tourism is one of the sectors in the delta that requires well-trained human resources to fully exploit the tourism potential in the area.
Huynh Truong Huy, of Can Tho University, said the shortage of qualified tourism staff had hindered tourism development.
Associate Professor Le Viet Dung of Can Tho University, said that a survey conducted in 2014 showed that more than 80 percent of staff working in the tourism sector in the region had no foreign language skills and not received formal training.
Dung said that co-operation between tourism companies and tourism schools was needed to improve human resource training.
Within ten years since 2005, Can Tho University has co-operated with other provinces in the region in a project to send 552 people to foreign countries for training.-VNA
