VietNamNet Bridge – The Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, Nguyen Thi Hai Chuyen, spoke to the Viet Nam Economic Times about initiatives to help get young people into jobs.

Many young people can't find jobs, but it's ironic that most are not prepared to seek work in distant mountainous areas. What do you think?

Obviously, the labour sector can't generate jobs. It depends on the economy. According to the General Statistics Office report, by the fourth quarter of 2013, 72,000 young people with some types of degrees were unemployed.

The main cause was the economic slowdown.

However, we know that the young prefers universities rather than vocational schools. It's trendier.

Many parents also feel the same way.

This causes a huge imbalance because the market needs more skilled workers rather than those with degrees.

We have not paid enough attention to skills training, thus it's even more difficult for some young people to get jobs. Only a small percentage of degree-holders are employed by state-owned companies.

It's ironic that many of those who are educated remain jobless.

It is a major problem we must solve.

Besides knowledge in the field, young people need to have soft skills.

Most graduates don't seek work in far-flung areas because it's more difficult to live there than in the city.

They also do not want to be made to feel inferior by their friends and family members.

The Government has made efforts to attract youngsters to work in these remote areas because they have always been short of doctors and teachers. Young people need to accept these difficulties and rise to the occasion.

Those with degrees can't find jobs and we still don't have enough vocational programmes for young people. Why is that?

The Government has many policies to support young people who have not received any type of training.

This includes resolution 1956 that focuses on retraining rural labourers.

This program provides preferential policies for them to access credit, raise cattle and new plants.

They have also learned trades that have potential in modern rural development.

Since then, many young people have gained more confidence to start their own businesses when they have more funding.

Many have built their own farms.

I believe these are very important policies that motivate young people to stay in their home province and contribute to local production and socio-economic development.

What's about support for talented youth at universities?

In relationship to the development of science and technology, the Government supports university students who can conduct quality research. This is important as we need more science applied to agriculture.

Soon, the Government will announce a project that allows top students from universities to be recruited directly to work for major state corporations.

This will be a great chance for them to show their abilities.

I wholeheartedly support this initiative as it will motivate students to perform well in universities.

For young scientists, those with master's degree who are under 27 years old and those with with a philosophy degree who are under 35 will be given priority.

Source: VNS