Summary of the Conference “Employment Bridge – Accompanying Employers and People with Visual Impairments” – November 27, 2025

Overview of the Event

On 27 November 2025, Sao Mai Center for the Blind successfully organized the event “Employment Bridge – Accompanying Employers and People with Visual Impairments” at Orchids Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City.

The program was designed with two main components, including a morning employment conference and an afternoon job fair, with the aim of creating a space for dialogue, sharing, and direct connection among businesses, people with visual impairments, and relevant organizations.

The event was part of the project “Empowerment Through Employment” implemented by Sao Mai with support from The Nippon Foundation. It aimed to raise awareness of the working capabilities of people with visual impairments; share experience in inclusive recruitment; introduce employment models and services involving people with visual impairments; and at the same time open up opportunities for cooperation, recruitment, and long-term collaboration after the program.

Participants

The program welcomed more than 80 participants, demonstrating substantial interest in the topic of employment for people with visual impairments. Participants included representatives from businesses and employers, graduates with visual impairments who are seeking jobs, as well as representatives of social organizations, disability support organizations, job placement centers, and individuals and organizations interested in inclusive recruitment.

This diversity of participants enriched the discussions, combining policy perspectives, practical viewpoints from employers, and the lived experiences of people with visual impairments themselves.

Employment Conference

In the morning, the conference focused on the theme of inclusive employment for people with visual impairments through presentations and discussions built around four main pillars: work capacity of people with visual impairments, policies and reasonable accommodation, opportunities from technology, and the role of support organizations.

The first segment centered on recognizing the true working capacity of people with visual impairments. Through the sharing of those who are blind or partially sighted and already employed, participants heard concrete stories about their learning journeys, proactive skill development, job applications, and adaptation to workplace environments. From there, the picture of workers with visual impairments became clearer. They are not merely “beneficiaries of support” but a source of human resources with professional capabilities, able to take on many different roles when given appropriate conditions.

The subsequent presentations focused on the policy framework and reasonable accommodations in recruitment and work organization. Speakers discussed regulations related to workers with disabilities, the types of support that businesses can access, as well as small but meaningful changes in inclusive recruitment. The examples shared showed that inclusive recruitment, when properly prepared, is entirely feasible and can bring mutual benefits to both employees and employers.

Another important topic was the role of technology. Speakers discussed the use of assistive tools, online working platforms, and communication and management tools that enable people with visual impairments to work effectively. They also introduced new job models in which technology is a key factor in reducing barriers. When designed with accessibility in mind, technology not only enables people with visual impairments to participate in the workplace, but also opens up opportunities for them to be more creative and proactive in their careers.

Finally, the conference addressed the role of support organizations and job placement centers in connecting three parties: candidates with visual impairments – employers – and relevant agencies/organizations. Activities such as providing job information, training soft skills, guiding CV and application preparation, interview coaching, and advising businesses on inclusive recruitment are considered key links to ensure that employment opportunities do not stop at the level of ideas but turn into concrete actions.

The morning conference created an open dialogue platform that helped strengthen the understanding that people with visual impairments can and should have greater access to diverse employment opportunities, based on the coordinated efforts of multiple stakeholders.

Job Fair

In the afternoon, the conference hall was rearranged to host the job fair, creating opportunities for direct connection between businesses, job seekers with visual impairments, and employment/service models run or co-run by people with visual impairments.

The job fair consisted of two main groups of booths:

• 03 direct recruitment booths: Businesses introduced their organizations, staffing needs, and specific job vacancies, while also receiving applications and conducting initial interviews on site. People with visual impairments had the opportunity to speak directly with employer representatives, ask questions, present their experiences, and share their career aspirations.

• 09 booths showcasing projects, occupations, and services: Here, various models implemented by people with visual impairments or by support organizations were introduced to participants—from assistive technology projects and skills training courses, to arts and music activities, counseling services, vocational training, and handicraft products. This area not only presented employment opportunities but also highlighted the diversity of ways people with visual impairments participate in the labor market, including both salaried employment and self-employment.

In addition to obtaining information, many deeper conversations took place at the consulting tables and interview areas, where businesses and candidates could discuss job requirements, accessible working conditions, and next steps after the fair. For participants who were not ready to apply immediately, the job fair was still an opportunity to observe, learn, and gain a clearer picture of possible career paths in the future.

Conclusion

At the end of a full day of activities, the event “Employment Bridge – Accompanying Employers and People with Visual Impairments” successfully created a comprehensive space for connection: the morning provided a dialogue forum, and the afternoon offered hands-on experience and direct encounters. Numbers such as more than 80 participants, the number of booths, and the many conversations throughout the program are only the initial outcomes; more importantly, the event fostered new awareness, relationships, and ideas for collaboration.

The overarching message from the event is that people with visual impairments have clear capabilities and career aspirations; businesses can absolutely build inclusive working environments when they have more information and support; and support organizations play a key role in connecting all parties. From here, Sao Mai hopes to continue maintaining and expanding connection channels, providing skills development and job placement support for people with visual impairments, and together with businesses and partners, building more concrete models of cooperation in the time ahead.

With the foundations and connections initiated by this event, the “employment bridge” for people with visual impairments promises to be further strengthened, so that each employment opportunity in the future becomes closer, more tangible, and more sustainable.