Government to Train 20,000 Advanced Energy Professionals Over 10 Years... Labor Transition Begins Amid Industrial Restructuring

Training 8,000 Researchers and Field Workers by 2025

"Establishing Basic Plans Every 5 Years Upon Passage of the Labor Transition Support Act"

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government has decided to nurture 20,000 energy innovation talents by 2030. This move aims to accelerate the 'labor transition' policy in line with the 2050 carbon neutrality policy and the restructuring of eco-friendly and digital industries. First, it plans to cultivate 8,000 research and field experts by 2025. If the Labor Transition Support Act, currently pending in the National Assembly, is passed, a five-year 'Basic Labor Transition Plan' will also be established.

The Presidential Committee on Jobs held its 22nd meeting on the 22nd at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul, and approved four agenda items, including the 'Plan to Nurture Energy Technology Personnel for Carbon Neutrality.' The committee projected that over the next decade, the energy industry?including energy efficiency improvement, power systems, new and renewable energy, and fossil fuels?will face an annual shortage of 756 master's and doctoral-level and 1,279 bachelor's-level technical personnel compared to demand. This indicates a greater need for personnel performing research, technical, service, and management roles.

Accordingly, the government has prepared a plan to nurture energy technology personnel consisting of three major strategies and ten tasks. The goal is to produce 20,000 energy innovation talents by 2030. By 2025, it plans to cultivate 3,000 research personnel and 5,000 field experts, totaling 8,000. To this end, more than ten Energy Innovation Research Centers will be established by 2025 to develop top-tier talents in areas requiring a super-gap or urgent localization, such as new and renewable energy. Currently, there are five Energy Convergence Graduate Schools at Jeonbuk National University, GIST, Pusan National University, Gachon University, and Chung-Ang University; this number will increase to more than 15 by 2025. The annual talent cultivation scale will grow from 85 this year to 235 next year and 500 by 2025.

A five-year '1st Basic Labor Transition Plan,' reflecting the upward revision of the national greenhouse gas reduction target (NDC) and the restructuring of digital and low-carbon industries, will be prepared in the second half of next year. Once the 'Labor Transition Support Act' related to industrial structure transition, currently pending in the National Assembly, is passed, a five-year plan will be established immediately. The government explained that if the Labor Transition Support Act, pending alongside the 'Carbon Neutrality Act' to be enforced from March 25 next year, is processed, preparations are underway to announce the five-year Basic Labor Transition Plan in the second half of next year. Once the plan is established, the government expects to regularly identify and support industries and sectors requiring labor transition. An official from the Ministry of Employment and Labor said, "If the Labor Transition Support Act currently pending in the National Assembly is passed, the first Basic Labor Transition Plan will be established according to this law."

To actively promote the 'Fair Labor Transition Support Plan in Response to Industrial Structure Changes,' announced on July 22, the government has allocated a related budget of 1.0385 trillion won across five ministries for next year. This is to implement short-term measures such as job transition and reemployment support targeting workers in specific industries urgently needing support, such as coal-fired power generation and internal combustion engine vehicles. As part of the job transition measures, specialized training for industrial structure response, long-term paid leave training, a labor transition specialized joint training center, employment stability agreement subsidies, and labor-management cooperative training will be newly established next year.

Additionally, to support reemployment, starting next year, employers who must adjust employment due to industrial structure transition and provide worker job transition support services will receive a 'Labor Transition Support Fund' of up to 3 million won per month per worker for a maximum of 12 months. The support fund target is 2,300 people next year. Furthermore, if labor and management of industrial transition companies agree on employment retention and job transition support, services such as job transition education, training facility rental, and up to 500 million won in support covering 50% of employer investment costs will be provided for one year. The investment support target is 50 companies next year.

Moreover, the government plans to provide 1,300 labor transition consulting supports next year, establish a 'Labor Transition Analysis Center' to forecast low-carbon and digital shocks by industry and region, and operate a 'Labor Transition Support Subcommittee' composed of six ministries chaired by the Ministry of Employment and Labor every two months. In the first half of next year, social dialogues with the Economic, Social and Labor Council and the Carbon Neutrality Committee will also be pursued.

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