A worker is painting a ceramic vase at Bát Tràng ceramic and pottery village in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội has developed plans to open vocational training classes in traditional handicraft villages for 1,650 rural labourers this year.

The plan was recently announced by the municipal People’s Committee as part of an industrial and agricultural promotion project.

Under the project, the city will promote rural industrial development to improve the quality, efficiency and competitiveness of handicraft villages.

The city will also support 400 individual handicraft workshops or companies participating in fairs at home and abroad this year.

The city will open classes on business management skills for 1,750 labourers of handicraft workshops and companies.

This year’s project is expected to create jobs and improve incomes for 10,000 rural residents.

To achieve the goals, the People's Committee will work with relevant agencies and departments to implement the activities.

District and town-level People's Committees are urged to support handicraft workshops using their budgets.

Handicraft associations and social organisations located in the city will propose industrial promotion schemes and work with relevant agencies to supervise implementation.

Many young people in the handicraft villages are no longer interested in inheriting their relatives' businesses because of the low incomes they offer. They have taken on other work or moved to cities to find jobs.

City authorities have encouraged residents to keep traditional crafts alive and worked with banks to help them distribute loans and find outlets for the products.

The city now has more than 300 recognised craft villages.

The average income of workers in traditional craft villages is about VNĐ4-5 million per month.

Many handicraft villages are on the brink of closure due to limited production and labour shortages. — VNS