Nowon-gu Operates Non-Face-to-Face 1:1 Career Development Program 'BMS Challenge'

Youth-Led Activities with Self-Planning and Initiatives, 1:1 Career Coaching Supporting Content Creation... Nowon Youth Career and Job Experience Support 'Sangsang Irum Center' Plans Various Youth Programs for Vacation

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is operating an individual career development program called the ‘BMS Challenge’ tailored for the COVID-19 era.

BMS stands for Be My Self, meaning 'to try and grow by one's own strength.' It was designed to find new opportunities for youth career experience activities, which have been restricted due to social distancing measures.

The program is open to youths aged 16 to 19 residing in Nowon-gu. Those interested can watch at least five video contents in their field of interest, then fill out an application form and submit it through the Nowon Sangsang Irum Center website.

Once the application is complete, the center connects the youth with a career coach either face-to-face or remotely. Together with the assigned 1:1 career coach, participants write a self-growth plan and produce content by the self-set deadline while recording a growth report.

After the challenge ends, there is a follow-up consultation to explore how their experiences and content can be linked to their future career paths.

The challenge is divided into two categories: content production such as cooking, coding, video production, and crafts, and humanities/social sciences content such as science, humanities, philosophy, and history. Participants who apply for the content production category can receive up to 70,000 KRW in growth support funds depending on the materials needed.

Unlike traditional career experiences, the BMS Challenge offers a special opportunity for youth by utilizing video content, the medium they are most familiar with, allowing for non-face-to-face participation, and enabling them to plan and execute projects freely to develop their own capabilities.

So far, more than 30 youths have taken on the challenge with diverse themes such as home training, nail art, baking, video editing, and home gardening using the Internet of Things.

A survey of participants who completed the program showed a satisfaction rate of over 90%.

In addition, the Nowon Sangsang Irum Center has prepared various programs for youth during the summer vacation.

‘Cheongseonsaeng’ allows local high school and university students to become teachers at neighborhood learning centers and teach elementary school students, providing educational participation opportunities for older students and experiential learning for younger ones.

Also, ‘Youth Makers’ connects youth clubs with mentors working in relevant fields to provide education in skills and arts, supporting practical and free career exploration.

Oh Seung-rok, mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “We plan to operate various career exploration and job experience programs so that the infinite potential of youth is not limited by COVID-19,” adding, “I hope Nowon’s youth have an enjoyable and meaningful vacation.”

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