The typical Vietnamese worker is young, relatively low skilled and possesses little work experience. To get these workers attention and convince them to act if their situation is unacceptable is quite difficult – and courses telling them how to react are constant competition with recreational activities.
In order to compete with the recreational activities the “Vietnam General Confederation of Labour” is trying new ways to catch the attention of the workers through a Danida supported project.
Traditionally, Vietnam General Confederation of Labour (VGCL) exclusively uses a lecturer style education where high-ranking leaders read resolutions and regulations aloud to the invited audience. With Danida’s assistance the training methods are about to be modernized to increase effectiveness.
Through the Business Sector Programme Support (BSPS) selected trade union activists are trained intensively in modern training and communication techniques. These activists will be the backbone in the training efforts in the coming years, aiming at building the capacity of the unionists to target the workers and employers of the small and medium sized enterprises.
End of ineffectiveness
“The traditional training techniques are ineffective in the new Vietnam” explains VGCL’s training consultant Dr. Nguyen Thi Du:
“With daily working hours approaching 14 hours six days a week – often in dusty, warm and hazardous working environments – participants are often too exhausted to follow the traditional lectures.”
“Instead participatory methods, such as group work, role-plays and trainer/trainee dialogue have proven to be successful in getting the messages through,” Dr. Nguyen Thi Du emphasizes.
The Danida funded project seeks the attention of the workers through modern communication such as websites and competitions. Furthermore the goal is to ensure that those, who show interest are trained thoroughly within these techniques.
Already started
The Danida funded training program consists of three 4-day courses tailored to the needs of provincial and district union trainers – and the first students have already started.
Mr. Khoat, president of the company “Son Tay” based in the Ha Tay province is one of them.
“Being a teacher by education, I have been responsible for training unionists in our district for the last 20 years. All this time I have been using the traditional methods of lecturing the trainees. By introducing the group work into the training as well as actively involving the participants – I can now introduce a new and promising teaching-method,” he says.
