"Overcoming Industrial Accident Hardships to Become Safety Managers"... KCCI Lays a 'Ladder of Hope' for Injured Workers

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) is laying a "ladder of hope" for workers who suffered industrial accidents and were forced to leave their workplaces due to unforeseen incidents.

On April 20, the KCCI, in partnership with the Korea Workers’ Compensation & Welfare Service, held the entrance ceremony for the "Electrician Training Course" at five Human Resources Development Centers nationwide, including Busan, Incheon, Gwangju, Cheonan, and Paju. This program is designed not only to help industrial accident victims acquire technical skills but also to restore their confidence and provide a practical "springboard for recovery," enabling them to return to society as empowered members despite the physical and psychological hardships they have endured.

원본보기 아이콘

One notable new participant in this cohort is Mr. C (63 years old), who caught attention after entering the program. He spent 25 years in the financial industry before retiring and preparing for his second act in manufacturing, only to suffer an accident that resulted in the loss of his finger due to operational error. He remarked, "I have come to realize just how important proper technical skills are," and added, "Beyond simply finding a job to support my livelihood, I am determined to become a safety management expert guarding the workplace so that accidents like mine are not repeated."

The KCCI has developed a differentiated "close-support program" specifically addressing the unique circumstances faced by industrial accident victims, providing them with comprehensive support for their return to the workforce. From the outset of the program, each trainee is assigned an advisor who conducts in-depth, one-on-one counseling sessions. These sessions go beyond basic career planning, thoroughly analyzing each participant’s physical condition and previous career path to help set an optimal job direction that trainees can confidently pursue.

A key advantage of the program is that, starting this year, the full cost of both the written and practical qualification exam fees required to obtain the electrician license will be covered, allowing trainees to focus solely on acquiring specialized skills without financial burden.

The KCCI’s support continues even after course completion. To help trainees successfully earn their certifications, the organization provides ongoing access to practice equipment and maintains continuous technical guidance from the advisors, establishing a robust post-training support system. The aim is to remain a reliable companion for industrial accident victims, who may otherwise feel isolated while preparing for exams on their own.

This meticulous support is reflected in the pass rates. Last year, the written exam pass rate for the electrician license among program graduates was 78.5%, more than double the national average of 36.2%. The practical exam pass rate was also 78.8%, exceeding the national average of 72.6% and demonstrating the exceptional effectiveness of the KCCI’s training approach.

As word spreads about these results, demand for the program is rising sharply. The number of trainees grew dramatically from 20 in 2024 to 168 in 2025, just one year later. The KCCI plans to expand the program to accommodate 200 participants this year and will continue to refine the program so that even more industrial accident victims can make a fresh start in the future.

Lee Changhyeong, Head of Training and Employment Support at the KCCI Human Resources Development Division, stated, "We aim to be a partner in rebuilding the lives of industrial accident victims by leveraging our outstanding infrastructure and human resources. Going forward, we will continue to develop specialized training programs to help even more industrial accident victims return to the workplace."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.