One More Functional Technician Exam Added in July for Vocational High School Students

Ministry of Education Announces Support and Employment Activation Measures for Vocational High Schools
Discussion Ongoing on Conducting Technician Exams in August Amid COVID-19 Impact

Expansion of Recruitment to Local Government Grade 9 Administrative Positions
Exemption from Pre-Job Training Hours for Military Technical Specialty Soldiers

Yoo Eun-hye, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, is speaking at the Social Relations Ministers' Meeting held on the 11th at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a practical skills test for technician certification for vocational high school students is scheduled to be held once more in July. The Ministry of Education is currently discussing with the Ministry of Employment and Labor whether an additional test can be conducted in August as well.

On the 22nd, at the 3rd Human Investment Talent Development Council meeting, the Ministry of Education announced the "2020 Vocational High School Support and Employment Activation Plan," which includes these details after discussions with related ministries.

Third-year vocational high school students prepare for employment rather than further education, so they secure employment by obtaining certifications before graduation. However, with school attendance postponed, practical training opportunities have been insufficient, making it difficult to obtain certifications immediately. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education is collaborating with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Human Resources Development Service of Korea to open one additional technician certification test for vocational high school students, and discussions are ongoing about holding another test in August.

The government is also actively working to discover job opportunities for students. The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, will expand recruitment for local government positions from only 9th-grade technical roles to include administrative positions as well. In June, through cooperation with related ministries, a Central Employment Support Center will be opened to promote employment for high school graduates.

To prevent career interruptions during military service, vocational training can be received during military service, and employment consulting in related fields will be provided after discharge. Vocational training (200 hours), which is mandatory for serving as a technical specialist soldier, will be exempted for vocational high school students going forward.

Flowchart of Collaboration System between Learning Labor Support Officer and Industrial Safety Labor Inspector (Provided by the Ministry of Education)

Incentives for companies participating in vocational high school field training will also be expanded. Companies with fewer than 50 employees can become participating companies and receive priority support in the 'Clean Business' subsidy program, and if designated as a strong small business, subsidy support will be further expanded. Additionally, participating companies will be classified as ▲Leading Companies ▲Excellent Leading Companies ▲Certified Leading Companies, and together with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Financial Services Commission, Korea Federation of Banks, and Public Procurement Service, a package of up to 10 differentiated incentives will be provided, including preferential bank interest rates, exemption from regular labor inspections, and bonus points when applying for employment support programs.

To ensure a safe training environment, the Ministry of Education will strengthen joint inspections with local education offices to twice a year and further support company field teachers who act as mentors for field trainees. Furthermore, wearing safety vests will be mandatory for all field trainees, and a Learning Work Support Officer will be newly appointed for at least one teacher per vocational high school to perform safety inspections at training companies.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Yoo Eun-hye said, "From the perspective of high school students, it is still quite insufficient," but added, "We will do our best to ensure that the policies prepared in collaboration with related ministries are not lacking from the viewpoint of vocational high school students."

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