Vocational High School Students to Receive 500,000 Won Each for Certification Acquisition Support

Announcement of Plan to Support Skill Enhancement for High School Graduates Seeking Employment
Reduced Pass Rates in Qualification Exams Due to Lack of In-Person Classes and Practice Opportunities
Certification Acquisition Costs Supported for 24,000 Students, Prioritizing Enrolled Students
580 Assistant Mentors Assigned to Support Vocational High School Practice Sessions

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The government will provide 500,000 KRW per person to vocational high school students who are struggling with employment due to reduced in-person classes and lack of practical training hours caused by COVID-19, to cover certification acquisition costs.

On the 10th, the Ministry of Education announced plans to implement the "Support Project for Enhancing the Competency of High School Graduates Seeking Employment" and the "Vocational High School Practical Training Support Mentoring Project." These projects aim to support vocational high school students facing difficulties preparing for employment, as the pass rate for vocational high school technician certification exams dropped to 60.46% last year from 65.14% the previous year.

The Ministry of Education will provide 500,000 KRW per person to 24,000 vocational high school students to cover costs related to obtaining certifications. Eligible recipients include third-year vocational high school students who have acquired major-related certifications (national professional, technical, or nationally accredited private qualifications) and those who have participated in employment preparation activities such as industry-linked field training.

The number of supported students by region was allocated considering last year's field training participation numbers to prioritize students with strong employment intentions. If the number of applicants exceeds the regional allocation, the metropolitan and provincial offices of education will prioritize payments based on criteria such as low-income status, underserved areas, duration of employment preparation activities, and number of certifications obtained, according to their circumstances.

The Vocational High School Practical Training Support Mentoring Project assigns one assistant mentoring instructor to each vocational high school to support practical training. The metropolitan and provincial offices of education allocate personnel within budget limits based on applications from schools planning to utilize assistant instructors.

Assistant mentoring instructors are primarily selected from unemployed vocational high school graduates. School principals establish their own selection criteria considering department operation status, local community conditions, major, and possession of certifications, and select assistant mentoring instructors accordingly.

Assistant instructors will support practical training teachers during the second semester by guiding students on practical training precautions and report writing methods.

Jeong Jong-cheol, Vice Minister of Education, stated, "Through these projects funded by supplementary budgets, we hope to enhance the employment capabilities of vocational high school students who have faced significant challenges due to COVID-19 and to provide practical support for revitalizing employment among high school graduates."

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