Development in the Private Sector

Each year, more than 1 million young people come onto the job market in Vietnam. Some of them are qualified while others have no training. The situation is particularly difficult for disadvantaged youth, orphans and homeless children bought up by chartiable organizations. But since 1994, Hoa Sua, a career training school in the hospitality sector has been coming to the aid of these youth by offering them quality training to foster their employability. Uniterra, a program run jointly by CECI and World University Service of Canada WUSC, is working in Vietnam in career training alongside companies for several partner colleges and universities like Hoa Sua professional school.

Hoa Sua’s goal is to provide opportunities for professional training in cooking, restauration and hotel services, sewing and embroidery, accounting, management and language courses for disadvantaged yout. The school has implemented a groundbreaking model of practical training in business management in collaboration with the tourist industry so as to respond to its needs.

Hoa Sua is a successful example of social economy and professional integration for disadvantaged youth who, without such opportunities, would fair poorly on the job market. The school has opened three restaurants, a mini-hotel, a bakery, a catering service and an embroidery workshop that enables the organization to fund its activities while providing students with practical experience in a work environment.

Young people learn while applying their new skills and gaining confidence though contact with international chefs and foreign volunteers, like those from Uniterra. Approximately 90% of graduates find work in international hotels and restaurants, and some of them come back to teach at Hoa Sua. Since 1994, more than 6,000 underprivileged youth have received career training and have found a job.

In addition to their careers, Pham Minh Chiên and Vu Thi Ly also found one another. Born to low income families and having worked in the street during their childhoods, their lives changed when they were admitted to Hoa Sua. Today, they teach at the school and are happy with their careers. Chien specialies in table service while Ly teaches cooking at the Hoa Sua restaurant They met during classes and were married once their finished their studies. “So many children have a hard lot in life and are in much worse of a situation than I ever was” explains Chien, which is why he and Ly decided to stay at the École Hoa Sua, their reason for living.

Vietnam is fourth in the world among destinations growing in popularity with 4.2 million tourists in 2009 alone. A major part of foreign investment goes into this sector, which employs many young people.

* The Hoa Sua school was invited to the International Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy (FIESS) held in Montreal in October 2011 to present its effective and exhaustive career training model it recommends to preare poor and vulnerable Vietnamese youth to gain worthwhile employment in the major sectors in Vietnam. The goal ist o study the interactive dynamic between education, politica and particies so as to demonstrate challeges related to supporting this model and the possibility implementing in other schools and sectors in Vietnam.