For many young people with disability in Vietnam, the path to decent work has long been facing challenges by inaccessible training and limited employer engagement. The Centre for Disability and Development (DRD) supported by Aus4Skills, is helping change this by embedding inclusive practices into vocational education and training (VET).
A turning point came when DRD leaders joined Aus4Skills-supported training courses on strategic workforce planning, transformational leadership, logistics, and competency-based training and assessment. This experience was transformative. It shifted DRD’s mindset to see inclusive VET not as an option but a necessity, key to solving employment challenges for people with disability while meeting business needs. This realisation laid the foundation for a strong five-year partnership with Aus4Skills, including collaboration with Australian experts to train colleges on supporting students with disability.
Moving beyond research support, DRD began providing technical support to colleges. Between 2023 and 2025, they formalised partnerships with four institutions committed to integrating inclusive practices so learners with disability can access high-quality training and achieve decent work outcomes. DRD mobilised resources for over 20 scholarships worth VND200 million and 15 laptops valued at VND150 million to directly support students. Learners gained confidence through soft skills and career-readiness training.
Importantly, Aus4Skills’ focus on industry engagement helped DRD and colleges link training to real jobs. In 2025, DRD connected 16 graduates with disability to employment at Hali Care, with numbers expected to reach 30 by end of 2025. This is life-changing for individuals and proof that inclusive hiring is both feasible and beneficial.
The collaboration between DRD and Aus4Skills has grown into a sustainable ecosystem where colleges, DRD and employers share responsibility for inclusion. What began with a mindset shift has become a movement, offering a model that can inspire broader change across Vietnam’s VET sector.
Disability Equality Training in 2019
An application project from the 2023 short course for VET educators to support student with disability
The Symposium of the Australia Awards Short Course on Developing Diverse and Inclusive VET in 2025
A handbook on utilising technology to support people with disability in education and employment
