Iksan City Launches Full-Scale Public Job Creation to Overcome COVID-19 Crisis

873 People Gradually Engaged in Hope Job Project

Iksan City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hong Jaehee] Iksan City, Jeonbuk, has officially launched a large-scale public job project to overcome the economic recession caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and to revitalize the low-income economy.

According to the city on the 13th, they have started the ‘University Student Short-term Internship Project’ and the ‘University Student Job Project’ for college students who are having difficulty finding part-time jobs due to COVID-19. The two projects, which finished recruiting at the end of last month, recorded high competition rates of 3.3 to 1 and 4.8 to 1, respectively.

The University Student Short-term Internship Project is designed to strengthen job skills and provide career exploration opportunities to college students through job experience during the summer vacation. A total of 303 students were selected and will work as interns for six weeks from the 13th at local public institutions, social enterprises, social welfare facilities, and regional children’s centers.

Additionally, the University Student Job Project supports administrative experience training for college students residing in the region during the vacation period. This year, in order to overcome the economic crisis caused by COVID-19, the number of recruits was significantly increased from the original 40 to 100.

The city conducted a fair screening process based on income level, volunteer hours, and priority for multi-child families, ultimately selecting 100 students who will be assigned to major departments of the city hall from the 13th for six weeks to receive administrative experience training such as assisting with tasks.

Along with this, the city recruited a total of 873 people for the ‘COVID-19 Overcome Hope Job Project,’ which provides fixed-term jobs to vulnerable employment groups facing economic difficulties such as unemployment due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, and citizens in need of livelihood support due to job loss or business closure.

As a result of the one-week recruitment starting from the 26th of last month, 721 applications were received, and those in fields such as environmental maintenance, where recruitment was completed, will start working from the 20th of this month. For fields with some vacancies, a second recruitment will be held until the 15th.

Anyone aged 18 or older with the ability to work who belongs to vulnerable employment groups, has lost jobs or businesses due to COVID-19, or citizens needing livelihood support due to regional economic downturn can apply as of the project start date. Selected individuals will work for about 2 to 4 months and receive between 890,000 KRW and 1,790,000 KRW per month.

Mayor Jeong Heon-yul said, “The Hope Job Project is helpful to citizens who are breadwinners responsible for their livelihoods, so I hope many neighbors in difficult situations around them can participate. I am confident that if all citizens unite, we can quickly dispel the dark shadow caused by COVID-19.”