Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre. — Photo vieclamkontum.vn

KON TUM — Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre has organised consultations and job introductions for tens of thousands of workers, primarily from ethnic minority communities.

However, due to various factors, these workers often don't remain committed to the introduced jobs.

With legal support and protection from the provincial Job Service Centre, many diligent and hardworking workers have achieved stable and relatively prosperous lives.

They serve as role models for others to follow, bringing about a change in their mindset and approach to work.

Overcoming hardships

Born in a family with 12 siblings, Y Bim, 28, of Đăk Blà Commune, Kon Tum City, faced numerous economic difficulties. In 2017, after getting married and living on her own, Y Bim and her husband struggled by working as hired labour for households in their village. Despite their diligence, the earnings from these jobs were only enough for sustenance.

By the end of 2021, as COVID-19 was gradually being controlled, Y Bim and her husband visited the provincial Job Service Centre to seek job opportunities. There, counselors introduced them to work as factory workers canning fish at Highland Dragon Limited Liability Company (located in Dĩ An City, Bình Dương Province) with an initial wage of VNĐ5 million (US$200) per month.

Through hard work, their wages have now increased to VNĐ7 million ($280), sometimes even surpassing VNĐ10 million ($400) with overtime. With stable employment, Y Bim brought her children from their hometown to Bình Dương Province for better care and education.

A Khát, Y Bim's father, said when his children and grandchildren started working in Bình Dương, he missed them dearly. However, seeing that their lives were becoming less difficult, with stable incomes and the ability to support their families, he found peace of mind.

"Before, my daughter and son-in-law stayed home, doing whatever work they could find to make ends meet. Now, with job introductions, they have enough for a comfortable life, and they even send gifts to us occasionally.

Y Bim's younger sister, Y Sing, was also introduced to work there. She earns a good salary and always gives her parents money whenever she comes home, which makes them very happy, A Khát shared.

The case of A Toa in Hơ Moong Commune, Sa Thầy District, is also similar.

Before coming to the Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre, he and his wife relied on uncertain incomes from general farming or as hired labour, either working alongside their parents or taking temporary jobs.

Their monthly earnings ranged around VNĐ4-5 million ($160-200), which brought economic difficulties to their family.

In March 2019, A Toa visited the Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre with the hope of finding a more stable source of income.

Here, he was introduced to work at RK Resources LLC. in Bàu Bàng District, Tây Ninh Province. By working diligently and willingly taking overtime shifts on days off, A Toa was appointed to various important positions within the company, earning a respectable salary ranging from VNĐ12 to 15 million ($480-600) per month.

As a result, he was able to send money back to his family, purchase land, and engage in agricultural activities.

"I sent money back for my wife to buy additional land, planting nearly one hectare of coffee and expanding cultivation to include cassava and rice fields. Our family's financial situation has become much more stable compared to before. Once I've saved enough, I plan to return and build a new house for my wife and children. The old house is too damaged," A Toa said.

Strengthening job introductions

According to statistics from the Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre, up until the end of July 2023, the centre has collaborated with the Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Department of districts and cities to organise more than 60 job fairs, job matchmaking sessions, and job days for over 5,000 labourers, primarily from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Through these efforts, successful job placements have been made for 348 workers, of which 258 are from ethnic minorities (accounting for 74 per cent).

Nguyễn Thị Nga, director of the Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre, explained that the lower success rate in job placements compared to the number of labourers in need arises from the fact that many ethnic minority individuals in the province are not accustomed to an industrial work ethic.

They may struggle with adhering to labour discipline, be hesitant to work far from home, and lack the initiative to actively seek employment to increase their income and improve their quality of life.

These factors contribute to the low success rate in job placements. Additionally, cultural practices among ethnic minority labourers, such as drinking alcohol frequently, participating in village activities, and attending communal festivals, also have an impact on the effectiveness of job counseling and introductions to companies.

In response to these challenges, the Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre has increased efforts to collect and update information on labour recruitment needs from companies within and outside the province.

They coordinate with companies that send Vietnamese labourers abroad for work, in order to provide appropriate job counseling and introductions. Furthermore, the centre enhances collaboration with the Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Department, training institutions, and other relevant bodies to organise job counseling, matchmaking sessions, and job days both directly and indirectly through platforms like Zalo, Facebook, and the centre's website.

Particularly noteworthy is the centre's participation in training workshops organised by the province's Ethnic Affairs Committee aimed at informing 198 members of ethnic minority communities about the process of sending Vietnamese labourers to work abroad under contracts.

"In addition to intensifying counseling and job introductions, the Kon Tum Province Job Service Centre will provide training to enhance skills and awareness among ethnic minority individuals before they leave for work.

"This aims to ensure that labourers are not swayed by misleading offers of 'light work and high pay'. The centre also encourages young labourers to invest in knowledge, foreign language skills, and life skills. Changing the perception of 'easy work and high pay' is crucial for labourers to integrate and adapt to any environment," said Nga. — VNS