U.S. Sponsors Information Technology Training For Disabled Students

Hanoi May 11, 2007

The United States is providing over $380,000 for a two-year Information Technology Training Program, which will provide disabled graduates with the skills needed to find high-paying jobs in Vietnam’s growing IT market.  The program will be run by the Hanoi College of Information, with additional support from Catholic Relief Services, and will train up to 375 vision-, hearing- and mobility-impaired students in skills that should lead to good jobs in Vietnam’s information technology industry.

In a dedication ceremony held May 11, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Jonathan Aloisi noted the ongoing partnership between the United States and Vietnam in assisting the disabled.  “Over the past years, the U.S. Government has provided approximately $43 million to assist persons with disabilities in Vietnam – and these efforts will continue.”  Mr. Aloisi explained that this project is only one part of a broad-based U.S. effort to work with Vietnamese partners in a large number of areas.  These include the provision of disaster relief, help as Vietnam conforms to WTO requirements, support for Vietnamese high-level study in the United States, and many others.  Mr. Aloisi explained that, through these efforts, “we reaffirm our commitment to working together with Vietnam towards a hopeful and prosperous future.”