From the knowledge gained in a short-term vocational training class, Mr. Vừ A Sùng, from Phô village, Sính Phình commune, has invested in raising 40 goats and 6 buffalo and cattle, cultivating over 3,000m² of rice, and piloting 200m² of strawberries. With diligence and the application of science and technology in farming and animal husbandry, his family has achieved a stable income of over VND 100 million per year.

What is commendable is that Mr. Sùng proactively shares his experience, guiding people in the village on how to select breeds and on techniques for caring for and preventing diseases in livestock and crops. Mr. Sùng’s approach not only opens up hope for escaping poverty and improving his family’s life but also serves as a motivation and an encouraging example for the community.

To achieve such practical results in job creation and income improvement for the people, one must first mention the innovation in vocational training for rural laborers. In recent years, short-term vocational training classes for rural workers have been organized with a focus on being “practice-centered” and “hands-on,” with about 80% of the time dedicated to practice and only 20% to theory. The vocational knowledge does not just stay on paper but becomes practical skills, creating a foundation for farmers to confidently apply to their livestock, cultivation, and service activities. As a result, after training, the rate of trainees who create their own jobs or start their own businesses reaches 70-80%.

In parallel with vocational training, preferential credit policies have become an important “lever” to help farmers develop their economies. By being facilitated to borrow VND 40 million in credit through the entrustment activities of the local Farmers’ Association with the Bank for Social Policies, the family of Ms. Lò Thị Tương in Điện Biên Phủ ward had the capital to develop large livestock farming. By using the loan for its intended purpose, the economic model proved effective, and her family has since repaid the loan while also accumulating savings to reinvest and expand their farm-style economic model.

Ms. Lò Thị Tương shared: “I didn’t have a stable job before. After being given the opportunity to get a policy loan, I bought buffaloes and cows to develop our family’s economy. Now I have paid off the bank loan and have a stable job.”

With many practical policy credit programs such as loans for job creation and loans for production and business in disadvantaged areas, thousands of laborers have had the opportunity to create their own jobs and improve their income. From 2020 to the present, more than 12,300 laborers in the province have accessed preferential capital to support job creation, helping many poor households escape poverty sustainably.

Currently, the working-age population accounts for 60% of the province’s total population. This is an abundant resource, but the majority are still engaged in agricultural production with unstable incomes. Identifying labor export as one of the important solutions for job creation and sustainable poverty reduction, Điện Biên province has focused on implementing many measures such as: supplying and introducing jobs to businesses, and improving the effectiveness of connecting labor supply and demand. From 2020 to now, nearly 22,000 workers in the province have been supplied to businesses both inside and outside the province, and 948 workers have gone to work abroad.

The family of Ms. Mùa Thị Lìa in Si Pa Phìn commune used to rely solely on slash-and-burn farming, and their life was difficult and deprived. In 2021, her husband went to Japan to work in the solar panel assembly sector through a labor export program. With a stable income of over VND 20 million/month from her husband’s salary, her family now has a stable life, and her children have better learning conditions.

Mr. Lê Đình Tuyên, Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs, stated: “In recent years, the job creation work in the province has always met and exceeded the assigned plan targets; the unemployment rate has gradually decreased each year. In urban areas, the unemployment rate has dropped significantly from 3.15% in 2019 to just 0.42% in 2024.”

The results achieved in the past five years are a testament to the correct direction taken by all levels and sectors in the synchronous implementation of job creation solutions, and the practical effectiveness of preferential credit, vocational training, and labor export programs. These new jobs have ignited the will to rise among workers, creating a driving force for development and spreading confidence in a prosperous future.