Kumoh National Institute of Technology Selected for "2026 Regional Base Defense Industry Specialized Workforce Training Project"

Training Practical Defense Industry Professionals
Recruitment Scheduled for May to June

Kumoh National Institute of Technology (President: Kim Sangho) in North Gyeongsang Province has been selected as the leading university for the "2026 Regional Base Defense Industry Specialized Workforce Training Project," which is supervised by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and the Agency for Defense Development. The project will run for three years, from April 2026 to February 2029.

The "Regional Base Defense Industry Specialized Workforce Training Project" aims to continuously channel talent with expertise in the defense industry into the regional defense sector through industry-academia cooperation between local universities and businesses.

Through this program, Kumoh National Institute of Technology is expected to nurture practical professionals who can be immediately deployed in the defense industry, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the regional defense industry ecosystem.

The program is open to young people under the age of 34 who have graduated from university but are currently unemployed and wish to pursue a career in the defense industry. Recruitment will take place between May and June, with the training program commencing in early July.

Approximately 30 participants will be selected, and trainees will receive up to 5.6 million won in stipends during the training period.

Detailed schedules and application procedures will be announced separately on the Kumoh National Institute of Technology website.

The training consists of a four-month group education program in the defense sector and a two-month on-site industry internship.

The group education curriculum is designed to reflect the latest technology trends in the defense industry, while the practical internship is linked with leading regional defense companies to enable participants to acquire the job skills required in real industry settings.

The Advanced Defense Industry Convergence Center at Kumoh National Institute of Technology, which oversees the project, will also select students from vocational high schools in the region (such as Kumoh Technical High School) in addition to unemployed university graduates, in order to foster technical personnel for the defense sector. These students will receive specialized theoretical training, such as the Introduction to Defense Acquisition (common education), as well as hands-on training focused on technical areas used in production sites, including electrical, electronic, and mechanical fields.

Choi Heonwoong, Director of the Advanced Defense Industry Convergence Center, stated, "This project serves as a regional hub for cultivating specialized personnel in the defense industry across North Gyeongsang, Daegu, and Gangwon regions, with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of the local defense industry." He added, "We will do our utmost to enhance field-oriented education based on university-industry cooperation, so as to achieve tangible employment outcomes and to nurture talent tailored to corporate demands."

Meanwhile, Kumoh National Institute of Technology has led the development of the regional defense industry, based on its extensive experience in carrying out various national projects—including the "2022–2024 Defense Industry Specialized Workforce Training Project"—and its outstanding educational infrastructure.

The institute is expected to further establish itself as a key institution for cultivating specialized professionals in the defense industry through this project.