Seongdong-gu, Training Honeybee Instructors

Training Program for 'Expert Doctor Bee Instructor' to Support Honeybee Experience Program

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) is launching a training program for honeybee instructors to ensure the smooth operation of the popular "Urban Beekeeping Honeybee Experience Program," an environmental education program held in urban parks such as Seoul Forest.

The honeybee experience program is highly popular and ranks first in satisfaction among children and residents, but due to a shortage of instructors, there have been cases where the program had to be suspended because educational demand could not be met.

Accordingly, the district applied for the "Expert Doctor Honeybee Instructor Training Course" in the April call for the "2020 Seoul Resident Skills School Project" and was selected. The full-scale training program will begin in mid-July.

After completing recruitment of 25 participants in June, step-by-step education including basic and advanced courses with theory and practice will be conducted from July 13 to August 28. Participants will complete specialized training on honeybee ecology, behavior, and communication skills, and conduct practical training targeting daycare centers or elementary schools to develop the capacity to work as professional instructors.

Additionally, support will be provided to establish a cooperative as professional instructors in the future, along with specialized consulting education for the establishment process.

A district official stated, "Urban beekeeping and honeybee experience programs are operated in several parks across Seoul, including Seoul Forest and Boramae Park, but there is a severe shortage of instructors to support these activities, causing operational difficulties. We plan to directly train professionals in this clearly demanded field and nurture them as social economy enterprises to meet local demand and enable profit generation."

Seongdong-gu Mayor Jung Won-oh said, "This project aims to train professionals tailored to local demand, supporting the activation of social economy organizations through new jobs and profit creation. We will continue our efforts to ensure that the social economy establishes a virtuous cycle economic system centered on the community and contributes to regional development."