Seongdong-gu, Training Field-Based Professional Caregivers Specialized in Companion Dogs

Recruiting a total of 35 participants until the 24th, supporting the establishment of employment cooperatives after completing professional training by August

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) is supporting employment and entrepreneurship by training pet care experts specializing in pet care services such as ‘pet sitters’ who look after pets on behalf of their guardians and ‘dog walkers’ who assist with dog walking.

As the pet market size exceeded 2 trillion won in 2017 and is growing at an average annual rate of 14.5%, it is expected to approach 6 trillion won by 2027. Meanwhile, the care service sector is rapidly expanding into areas such as dog kindergartens, academies, and hotels.

However, the field is currently experiencing a shortage of professional personnel, causing labor difficulties. This is a new blue ocean area for employment.

The district is implementing the ‘Field-Oriented Dog Expert Network Project’ to train field-ready professionals who can be immediately deployed in the newly growing dog service industry and connect them to employment and entrepreneurship.

Thirty-five trainees will be selected to undergo a total of 14 weeks of education and employment courses covering all areas from basic training to specialized practice.

Additionally, support will be provided for cooperative establishment, entrepreneurship, and marketing, operating the project not as a simple manpower training program but as a sustainable profit-generating business.

Anyone aged 19 to 39 can participate. Applications will be accepted until the 24th, and participants will be selected by May 8. From May to mid-August, a course will be held twice a week for 4 hours per day, covering ▲basic knowledge of dogs ▲care and training methods according to behavioral characteristics ▲socialization, etiquette, and walking training ▲health management and nutrition ▲grooming and massage ▲service industry and marketing strategies.

Through thorough academic management and certification systems, certificates and qualifications will be issued. Fifteen outstanding students will be immediately connected to employment through the local partner institution, the ‘Pet Complex Care Center.’ For those wishing to start a business, support will be provided for cooperative establishment, and a ‘Pet Service Online Platform’ will be built to offer everything from demand matching to payment systems.

Applications can be submitted via email (bowraum@miraenedu.com), and detailed information on the education period, location, and application documents can be found on the Seongdong-gu Office website (www.sd.go.kr) under the announcements section.

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “The ultimate goal of this project is to connect graduates to regular employment and support cooperative establishment based on an online platform, differentiating it from existing public institution manpower training projects.” He added, “We hope this opportunity, which allows employment and entrepreneurship in a promising occupation, will become a source of dreams and hope for young people struggling to find jobs during difficult times.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.