Labour Minister Pham Thi Hai Chuyen was the third Cabinet member to participate in a live question and answer session on June 13 at the National Assembly's ongoing fifth session.
She admitted that the country's vocational training schools were not meeting the real demand of society and businesses, particularly affecting rural workers and those in mountainous areas.
According to Chuyen, Vietnam's goal to become an industrial nation by 2020 would not be met without preparing human resources.
Under the Government's vocational training project through 2020, the country plans to train one million workers every year from 2010 to 2020, but only 27 percent of the target was met in 2012.
There were more than 1,000 vocational training centres nationwide, both state-owned and private, but many did not meet the demands of each industry and locality, according to NA deputies. A lack of connection between vocational schools and enterprises also contributed to the problem.
Besides, many vocational training schools were unable to recruit enough students, even after investing in new facilities, because students found the training was impractical.
"The Ministry is making efforts to revamp the vocational training curriculum, teachers and facilities to make sure training plans meet market demand," Chuyen said. "The schools should also meet with local businesses to find out their real needs."
Chuyen said the Ministry was also working with foreign companies to bring their human resources and infrastructure assistance to Vietnam.
In addition, the Ministry will provide a comprehensive assessment of the three-year implementation of a rural training programme this month.
Regarding concerns over the people who have lost their jobs due to the economic slowdown and the need to retrain them, the minister, said she would instruct localities to reassess the number of workers who had lost their jobs to draw up plans to retrain them according to demand from different sectors.
The minister also touched on the issue of sending workers from the 62 poorest districts to work overseas.
Answering a question on raising the minimum wage, Chuyen said the delay was to help businesses and the increase of the minimum wage in 2013 was aimed at balancing the needs of workers, not making businesses suffer.
The Minister is scheduled to continue her Q&A session on June 14 and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also takes the floor.-VNA
She admitted that the country's vocational training schools were not meeting the real demand of society and businesses, particularly affecting rural workers and those in mountainous areas.
According to Chuyen, Vietnam's goal to become an industrial nation by 2020 would not be met without preparing human resources.
Under the Government's vocational training project through 2020, the country plans to train one million workers every year from 2010 to 2020, but only 27 percent of the target was met in 2012.
There were more than 1,000 vocational training centres nationwide, both state-owned and private, but many did not meet the demands of each industry and locality, according to NA deputies. A lack of connection between vocational schools and enterprises also contributed to the problem.
Besides, many vocational training schools were unable to recruit enough students, even after investing in new facilities, because students found the training was impractical.
"The Ministry is making efforts to revamp the vocational training curriculum, teachers and facilities to make sure training plans meet market demand," Chuyen said. "The schools should also meet with local businesses to find out their real needs."
Chuyen said the Ministry was also working with foreign companies to bring their human resources and infrastructure assistance to Vietnam.
In addition, the Ministry will provide a comprehensive assessment of the three-year implementation of a rural training programme this month.
Regarding concerns over the people who have lost their jobs due to the economic slowdown and the need to retrain them, the minister, said she would instruct localities to reassess the number of workers who had lost their jobs to draw up plans to retrain them according to demand from different sectors.
The minister also touched on the issue of sending workers from the 62 poorest districts to work overseas.
Answering a question on raising the minimum wage, Chuyen said the delay was to help businesses and the increase of the minimum wage in 2013 was aimed at balancing the needs of workers, not making businesses suffer.
The Minister is scheduled to continue her Q&A session on June 14 and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also takes the floor.-VNA
