Youth and jobs in Vietnam have always attracted the serious attention from Vietnamese society for a long time. There have been hundreds of survey about this issues in Vietnam but most of them are scattered and not represent Vietnamese youth in the large scale.

At the moment, youth employment and underemployment is a serious problem in Vietnam. However, the information about experience and health outcomes is very limited, which leads to many difficulties for any concerning associates to develop youth problems in Vietnam. Therefore, it is greatly urged to have an overview on youth and jobs in Vietnam.

Overview of Youth Work and Employment in Vietnam

Among 90 millions people in Vietnam, there is around 20 – 25 million young people, aged between 15 – 24. This group accounts for 22 percent of the labor force in 2003, with relatively equal proportions of women and men. In the past 30 years of reform, they are the leading resource contributing to the socioeconomic success. It can be said that, youth is the backbone of every country’s economy. However, despite their important role, about 67 percent of youth still work on small family farms and in the informal sector. These working areas are considered to be low quality, underemployment, insecurity and safety hazards.

Since the Doi moi (renovation), which was officially introduced in 1986, Vietnam has been changed from a centrally–planned system to a socialist-oriented market economy. The economy has been opened to the foreign resources that includes both foreign direct investment and other reforms. This trade liberalization and sector diversification have helped increasing the income and living standard of Vietnamese people. Importantly, it is this change that has brought increased jobs in Vietnam

for a large proportion of people, especially youth.

Employment, equity and social welfare have been affected both directly and indirectly by the transition in Doi Moi period. However, opportunities always come with challenges. As the transition opens up many job opportunities for Vietnamese young people, it will also involves changes resulting in job losses and layoffs for many workers. Young people who find themselves caught between old and new social norms and values may find it extremely hard to adapt to these changes. These different lead to the diversification of expectations and perceptions of work among youth.

Youth now considers job is not merely a way to make living but also provides economic standing, self-esteem, status and social capital. As the promotion of gender equality, girls now find themselves more active in many job fields. To them good jobs mean their bargaining power in marriage and control over their fertility increase.

Besides, youth does not only want a permanent job with the same routined tasks. What they want is an environment that leave them an open door to higher development.

Jobs in Vietnam has become a major concern for young people. However, no matter how much effort put in the development of youth, the unemployment and underemployment issue have increased rather than decreased.According to official data (MOLISA, 2004), the country’s youth unemployment rate was over 14 percent in 2003 varied by genders and regions. Jobs opportunities for young people aged 15–24 is more difficult to be found than that for adults (25 years of age and above). It might be twice as likely to found jobs for over 25 year old people compared with youth. Youth unemployment accounts for

45 percent of all unemployment in Vietnam. The rural area is densed with unemployed youth than the urban one. This problems may lead to many social issues such as the uncontrolled immigration into the big city and the higher possibility to leave school at early ages and enter low-paid and unskilled jobs.

More information about jobs is available at website: http://vieclambank.com/