PRESS RELEASE

August 20, 2009

83 New Vietnamese with Disabilities Start U.S-funded Job Skills Training

HANOI, August 20, 2009 – Fifty Vietnamese students with disabilities this week began a 12-month software engineering and information technology management training program and 33 others with visual and hearing impairments enrolled for a three-month IT course under a initiative funded by the U.S. Government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Started in 2007, the program trains students according to international standards, with curriculum and coursework taught in English by certified trainers from leading service companies. Classes are held during work hours and simulate a workplace environment with lectures in the morning and training in the afternoon. The program also provides training in project management methodology, communication skills, teamwork, discipline, and integrity.  Graduates are attractive to potential employers because of their specialized qualifications and expertise. 

“By harnessing the skills of these and other students in the future, we can help persons with disabilities take their place in society and lead successful, independent lives,” said USAID Representative Francis. A. Donovan. “We hope this program can become a model for similar initiatives -- reaching even greater numbers of Vietnamese.”

The program is a cooperative effort between the Hanoi College of Information Technology (HCIT) and USAID’s implementing partner, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and with funding from USAID. So far, 75 students have completed year-long training courses in Hanoi, of which 64 have found jobs or internships. A total of 103 students are currently enrolled in classes at both HCIT and at a new program in Ho Chi Minh City. A total of 99 students have completed three-month courses for the visually impaired, along with 15 students who are deaf and hearing-impaired.
 
By the close of the project in 2010, 125 young people with disabilities will complete training in software engineering and attain employment in Vietnam’s growing computer industry. An additional 200 students with visual and hearing impairments will complete training in basic computing skills.