Vocational Education: Reliable Tools for Job Seekers at Workplaces Abroad
NOWADAYS, many people in various countries are facing the negative impacts of financial crises, with businesses experiencing high inflation rates. Young people are especially eager to earn increased incomes for their families so that they can enjoy a better socioeconomic life. Most people at a young age are competitively seeking employment at home, but they face challenges of qualification and conformity with different types of businesses. In Myanmar, youths, most of whom have been conferred graduates in addition to certificates of language tests, are trying to have employment opportunities. People of working age are encountering a shortage of employment as businesses suspend operations and dissolve their operational functions. As such, those youths head to go abroad to seek employment opportunities.
Difficulties in seeking employment
As a result, the few available job vacancies have become a competitive field for job seekers. At present, an unprecedented ratio of job seekers to job vacancies can be seen in many businesses in Myanmar. Generally, unemployed individuals have to apply for any type of employment, as they do not have the option to refuse even lower salaries. In fact, job seekers need vocational skills and relevant certificates recognized as evidence of successfully completing vocational courses. If so, those job seekers holding the necessary certificates, degrees and diplomas will find it easier to secure jobs as expected.
Currently, a large number of youths are going abroad to seek jobs, aiming to earn income in foreign currencies, which can dramatically improve their families’ status. They seek the best ways how to go abroad with the help of both legal and illegal employment agencies. If so, they need to follow departmental procedures to officially send them to foreign countries, depending on the job offers sent by relevant foreign companies. Moreover, job seekers need to apply for employment through government departments and relevant agencies.
However, they see these procedures as a waste of time and money. Therefore, they rely on illegal employment agencies to go abroad through illicit routes. Unfortunately, most of them often face arrests by law enforcement and immigration squads in the relevant countries, and these youths experience legal action without securing employment. As a result, they spend their young age in detention centres in these countries for many years.
The legal process for job vacancies
When they wish to follow the legal processes of government departments and official employment agencies, they must present relevant certificates, such as those earned from vocational courses and designated degrees as occupational qualifications. Furthermore, these youths need to submit certificates demonstrating success in educational qualifications related to the languages of the target countries.
In addition, they need to sign agreements in line with the instructions and directives issued by the government. For example, these candidates must remit a percentage of their salaries to their families in Myanmar and submit remittance receipts to the relevant departments. Moreover, they must have clear immigration and customs records. They must pass other processes patiently. Upon completion, they will be sent to target countries legally. With recommendations and endorsements from the Myanmar government, these overseas workers do not need to worry about anything, and they will have self-confidence in their employment.
Currently, due to various reasons, including political changes and regional situations, businesses, both small and large, cannot operate at full capacity. As a consequence, employment opportunities are scarce across the nation. Therefore, youths seek ways to go to neighbouring countries.
Qualification in workplaces
In this context, those with higher educational qualifications and work experience can secure employment opportunities more easily. To do so, youths must acquire vocational skills. They should attend vocational courses in subjects such as operating small- and medium-scale enterprises. If not, they must earn degrees and diplomas in technological and engineering skills. Moreover, some candidates need degrees related to economics and other fields. If so, they will be able to secure jobs with high salaries.
However, most youths going abroad do not have higher educational qualifications and proper work experience, so they cannot earn the salaries they expect. Some of them go abroad to work in any available job just to earn a small amount of money. Some youths may not have higher educational qualifications, but if they have completed vocational and language courses at home, they can expect to win job vacancies with deserved salaries.
Hardship for those with less vocational skills
If someone is weak in basic education as well as vocational experience, they will face underestimation by employers and discrimination by coworkers in foreign workplaces. In this case, somebody may abscond from their workplace due to a lack of capacity against unintentional or intentional pressures from coworkers and employers, in addition to depression based on their unsuccessful activities. Consequently, they seem to be suffering labour exploitation, lower salaries, and other unexpected difficulties in their workplaces. As a result, they will carry a heavy burden of hardships and depression during their stay abroad. Furthermore, they may become victims of human traffickers if they try to escape from the workplaces without considering the various conditions of the second countries due to the hardships they endure.
Generally, youths who have a clear vision of going abroad for jobs must join vocational courses. These vocational courses provide the necessary skills, knowledge, and techniques to help them join relevant workplaces. Notably, this vocational education training equips job seekers with self-confidence in addition to skills and creativity at different levels so as to stand tall among other job seekers. These skills and knowledge are part of occupational education, which is a reliable tool for navigating labour market demands both at home and abroad.
For example, many skilled workers upgraded their abilities as masons, carpenters, and mechanics from the role of helpers. Even if they work on relevant projects operated by Myanmar businesspeople at home, their livelihoods may be smooth and convenient. However, due to missed opportunities to learn and study these fields, they may lack systematic knowledge and skills in the relevant subjects and topics. Consequently, they may face difficulties obtaining recognition from employers for their skills and expertise in the workplace. If this is the case, it will not be easy for them to earn deserved incomes and salaries abroad.
Opportunities to join technological and vocational education courses at home
In Myanmar,
relevant government departments and private businesses conduct vocational education courses on a variety of subjects. Some of these courses require payment, but most are free of charge. Additionally, training courses on technology and vocational techniques are categorized in the country for those who have passed primary school education, middle school education, and undergraduate diploma courses for basic education high school or matriculation examination passers.
Moreover, the government conducts training courses without restrictions based on education, gender, or age, aiming to enhance the capacity of trainees. On the other hand, private organizations and businesses offer a variety of technological and vocational education courses. Hence, those who are weak in school education should attend the aforesaid technological and vocational education courses first and then seek ways to join workplaces at home and abroad. If so, they will have occupational safety and earn deserved salaries.
Without prioritizing vocational education, job seekers who go abroad on illegal routes will never be qualified for technologies and knowledge related to workplaces. So, they will always evade inspection by relevant officials in other countries and work under challenging conditions. Subsequently, they will become illegal migrant workers abroad, and their future will become dim.
The important role of vocational education
As Myanmar is an underdeveloped country, it is striving to upgrade itself to a developing country status. Although the country has experienced the negative consequences of armed conflicts for many years, now is the time for Myanmar to initiate improvements in all sectors. Therefore, the whole country needs technicians and technologists to modernize the nation. At the same time, a large number of youths are eager to go abroad to seek better job opportunities. As a result, many young technicians and technologists are leaving the country for various reasons.
Like other countries, Myanmar needs technicians and technologists to operate businesses and industries for the manufacturing process. Therefore, private entrepreneurs need to offer incentives to young technicians by providing salaries that are competitive with those in other countries. If so, these businesses can deter the brain drain of youths from Myanmar to other countries. If they can create job opportunities, young people will not go abroad.
Contributions to families and the State
By remitting a portion of their salaries to their families in accordance with the directives of relevant departments of the government, Myanmar citizen overseas workers contribute to their families as well as to the economic development of their motherland. Moreover, the receipts of these remittances will be useful for going abroad again for work. The relevant department stated that Myanmar migrant workers abroad have sent back salaries totalling more than US$6 billion from 2014 to July 2022. This highlights the important role of Myanmar migrant workers in the country’s nation-building efforts.
Workers can uplift their capacity by studying and learning relevant techniques and knowledge. They can build themselves up. They have a chance to improve their skills and knowledge by attending vocational education training as much as possible. If they have equipped themselves with the necessary tools, they will be happy in the workplace. Otherwise, they will face unexpected hardships and suffer from depression without fail.
pression without fail. Therefore, government organizations and departments need to emphasize conducting vocational education training for youths who wish to go abroad to become skilled workers in technology and vocational fields. These skills and knowledge can change the lives of job seekers one day. On the other hand, those wishing to seek jobs need first to join vocational courses to enhance their capacity for application in workplaces abroad.
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