The Prime Minister has approved a project on vocational training for rural laborers from 2010-2020. The project will provide training for approximately 1 million rural laborers and 100,000 cadres and staff at the commune level. The project, which is tied to the national new rural development campaign, has already seen some results, especially in remote mountain regions. Over the past 3 years, Yen Bai province has provided vocational training for 18,500 laborers, 32.5% of them from poor households. Vocational training classes focus on occupations like: farming, agricultural processing, animal husbandry, brocade weaving, and garment maing.

The selection of occupational training is based on practical needs, forecasts of labor demand, and labor market changes. Effective vocational training has improved living conditions, generated jobs, and boosted production, thus contributing to sustainable poverty reduction. Luong Van On, who lives in Nghia Loi commune, said: "We used to focus on farm work. After being trained in construction, my brothers and I have been able to earn up to 10 USD per day and this has significantly improved our living conditions."

In addition to having nearly 300 teachers working at 29 vocational training centers across the province, the local authorities in Yen Bai have also recruited skilled workers and officials from local agencies and companies in to teaching. In addition to providing training in particular jobs, the provincial authorities and vocational training centers have organized events to introduce and expand effective models of wet rice cultivation, silkworm raising, bamboo cultivation, tea processing, and mushroom cultivation.

Despite initial encouraging results, the project still faces some problems. The Director of the provincial Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs said: "To improve the project’s effectiveness, we have advised the province to improve the quality of training and increase the number of jobs available after training. Another important task is to raise awareness on the issue. It’s also important to upgrade the vocational training centers to meet the needs of workers and businesses and get the units that order the vocational training, local businesses, and the vocational training centers, to sign contracts."

Approximately 60% of workers have been able to find jobs after their training, a significant number for a province as disadvantaged as Yen Bai.