Mai Son counts about 120,000 people of working age, accounting for 69% of its population, most of them untrained. The district has instructed communes and town to survey vocational training needs, sketch out training plans matching the reality and market demand, and include job generation into its socio-economic targets.

Ngo Minh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the district People's Committee, said Mai Son has asked competent agencies to coordinate with communes and town to popularise labour market information and introduce jobs to rural labourers. At the same time, it has effectively used funds from national target programmes and organised agricultural vocational training courses for rural labourers.

Since 2023, it has directed the Agricultural Service Centre to work together with businesses, cooperatives, and the People's Committees of communes and town to hold 337 training classes on science-technology transfer for more than 13,507 labourers. Such classes have focused on how to raise chicken and pigs, grow vegetables and fruit trees, compost organic fertilizers, and prevent pests and diseases on coffee and fruit trees, among other faming techniques.

Implementing the loan programme to create jobs for labourers, the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies (VBSP)’s Mai Son branch has allocated 24 billion VND (944,044 USD) to over 550 labourers who are seeking loans for economic development purposes.

Tong Thanh Thuan, from Me hamlet, Muong Bon commune, said last year, he got 100 million VND under the programme to expand his restaurant combined with tourism services. His family now welcomes nearly 1,000 visitors each month and earns stable income from such services.

To create more job opportunities for labourers, Mai Son has guided communes and town to coordinate with the provincial Employment Service Centre and employers to organise 16 conferences to disseminate employment policies and provide consultations on labour export for more than 700 workers, and deliver 700 sets of documents on labour export regulations. 

Last month, Mai Son held the first job fair, attracting 26 businesses and employers, along with more than 3,000 workers, union youth members and young people, and secondary and high school students in the district.

During the fair, agencies and businesses guided local labourers to prepare dossiers and procedures for working in Japan and the Republic of Korea.  Some colleges and vocational schools also offered consultations to workers and students, helping them find jobs that suit their ability right after graduation.

Lo Thi Hoai from Co Noi commune said after receiving advice from businesses and employers on recruitment needs, salaries, and social welfare policies, she plans to apply for a job at a garment company in Hai Phong city.

More than 6,000 residents from Mai Son district are working at industrial parks outside the province, with an average monthly income of 7-15 million VND.  Nearly 3,000 others are working at factories and orchards in the district, earning 5 - 10 million VND per month on average, while 234 working abroad, earning about 15 - 30 million VND each month.

To improve the quality of rural workforce, Mai Son will continue instructing localities to review training needs, flexibly implementing forms of employment connectivity, and serving as a bridge between enterprises and workers.

It will also step up labour cooperation, create optimal conditions for businesses to recruit workers, and put in place loan policies in support of employment, thus spurring local socio-economic development./.