Ninh Binh plans 16,000 new jobs in rural areas

Ninh Binh (VNA) - Northern Ninh Binh province will strive to create jobs for 16,000
people in rural areas this year in the context that Vietnam and other countries
are hit by the global economic crisis, according to a local official.

"We are confident that we can find jobs for 16,000 people in the countryside or 3
percent of working-age people - despite the economic crisis. They will be trained
to make traditional products, including rush mats and handicrafts, "said Lam Xuan
Phuong, Deputy Director of the province's Department of Labour, War Invalids and
Social Affairs.
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Last year the province created jobs for 17,200 people in rural areas. However,
3,000 others remained unemployed, which accounts for 3.8 percent of all rural
workers. Thirty-five percent of the unemployed were between 18 and 30 years old,
and 40 percent between 31 and 45 years old, said Nguyen Thi Ngoan, manager of the
Labour and Salary Division.

"The main reason for unemployment is that some farm land has been used to build
industrial zones in the province," said Ngoan.

The provincial authorities have spent more than 30 billion VND (1.7 million USD)
since 2006 from its provincial budget to help local residents to find work.

In 2007, the Ninh Binh Job Training Centre, in coordination with enterprises in
the province, opened training courses in tailoring and handicrafts for about 400
people.

Last year the centre held courses of weaving rush mats for more than 700 labours.

Provincial farmers, women and youth associations have also held short term courses
to help farmers apply modern technology to farm work.

This year the province will continue calling for investment from international and
domestic businesses, and pay more attention to training people, focusing on trade,
handicraft products and tourism.

The northern province has a population of 928,500 people, of whom over 525,200
are of working age, about 56 percent of its total population.-Enditem