Dongjak-gu, 2020 Vocational Education Special Zone Project Promotion

Designated as the Nation's First Vocational Education Special Zone Last Year, 19 Specialized Projects to be Conducted by 2022... Vocational Education Special Zone Online Platform Establishment, Crowdfunding, and Innovation Sector Commercialization Projects to be Launched

The district signed an MOU in February last year to revitalize the Dongjak Vocational Education Special Zone.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) has established an operational plan for the second year of the Dongjak Vocational Education Special Zone specialized project this year and is set to actively promote the project.

Since being designated as the nation's first Vocational Education Special Zone by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups in January last year, the district has invested 38 billion KRW by 2022 to implement three main strategies: ▲activating vocational education focused on lifelong employment possibilities ▲expanding the quantity and quality of job linkage ▲building an expanded network for job convergence, carrying out 19 detailed specialized projects.

Last year, as a period of expanding the capabilities of the Vocational Education Special Zone, facilities such as the Youth Job Center and Youth Startup Support Center were established, supporting 29 companies within the vocational education special zone?11 more than in 2018?and creating about 1,700 jobs.

This year, the district aims to maximize the effects of the specialized projects and establish a mid- to long-term development model to prepare a differentiated vocational education special zone strategy from other local governments.

◆ Strengthening the substance of specialized projects and maximizing effect creation

The district plans to thoroughly analyze companies within the vocational education special zone, such as the Social Economy Support Center and 50 Plus Center, to enhance outcomes like employment and sales, and continuously discover various educational programs by linking with projects such as the Innovation Education District, Lifelong Learning Center, and Campus Town project.

Additionally, the district will continue to participate in various contests and national and city-funded projects, such as the Vocational Education Special Zone-type Edutech Startup Innovation Project and the Regional Shared-type Entrepreneur Nurturing Project, to sufficiently secure external funding.

◆ Enhancing brand value centered on communication

The district has designated this year as the ‘Establishment Period for the Mid- to Long-term Development Model’ of the Vocational Education Special Zone and is pursuing differentiated strategies.

First, from this month until December, the district will build a ‘Vocational Education Special Zone Online Platform’ reflecting the district’s identity to continuously promote and establish a foundation where companies, residents, educational institutions, and other related parties can develop together.

Specific contents include supporting ICT-based vocational education special zone activities such as ▲4th Industrial Revolution-related job aptitude tests and customized portfolios ▲study group services for competency enhancement and network formation ▲crowdfunding content online courses.

Furthermore, the district will operate 10 youth reporters who will conduct surveys on the demand and satisfaction of vocational education special zone programs, policy promotion, and content production.

As part of last year's Dongjak Vocational Education Special Zone project, the district conducted smart factory training for young people.

◆ Establishing a system for enterprise cultivation and industrialization

Since March, the district has been promoting crowdfunding projects that secure private capital and develop market channels to support enterprise growth, as well as innovation field commercialization support projects.

First, the district is conducting a ‘Crowdfunding’ project supporting 10 startups and prospective entrepreneurs in the district by providing ▲specialized funding education and mentoring ▲production of corporate promotional content ▲practical crowdfunding investment attraction.

Also, in cooperation with Soongsil University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, the district is implementing an ‘Innovation Field Commercialization Support Project’ to provide commercialization funds to young prospective entrepreneurs and startups residing in Seoul and Dongjak-gu.

Jo Jin-hee, Director of the Job Policy Division, said, “Through the promotion of the vocational education special zone project entering its second year this year, we will expand future challenge opportunities and do our best to create an economic city through region-led job creation.”

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