Everyone Engaged in Field-Oriented Programs ... Challenging 0% Youth Unemployment
Field Practice Brokerage: Matching Non-Southeast Students with Southeast Specialized Companies
Living Lab: Hundreds Solve Campus-Outside Issues Annually
Dongmyeong
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] In January 2020, an important report card arrived at Dongmyung University. It was an announcement that the university ranked first in employment rate among medium to large-sized general universities with over 1,000 graduates in the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions.
This was based on employment rate statistics disclosed through information disclosure by the Ministry of Education and the Korea Educational Development Institute. The statistics were as of the end of 2018, showing an impressive employment rate of 71.8%. This was a remarkable employment performance, with Dongmyung University’s rate being 9.5% higher than the Busan regional university average of 62.3%.
This report card perfectly matched the university brand described as a ‘prestigious employment university.’
"Our university is boldly challenging a 0% youth unemployment rate. This is possible because all university programs align with employment,"
the people of Dongmyung University proudly proclaim. Where does this confidence come from?
Dongmyung University (President Jeong Hong-seop)’s On-site Internship Brokerage HUB, Living Lab, and Bobusang form a ‘field-oriented employment troika’ that continues to demonstrate its power even amid COVID-19.
These are differentiated programs of the university’s Social Customized Industry-Academic Cooperation Leading University (LINC+) project team (Director Shin Dong-seok, Vice President), sharing the common denominator of actively engaging with society and industrial sites beyond the classroom.
These brand programs, which allow students to experience vivid on-site training before graduation, lead their career paths from the moment of admission. This three-pronged approach is driving Dongmyung University’s achievement of the ‘No. 1 employment rate.’
The university’s LINC+ project team is guiding each university project team in the Busan area LINC+ alliance to move from ‘competition’ to ‘cooperation.’ This is a strong energy source for the university’s challenge toward 0% youth unemployment.
◆ The nation’s only on-site internship brokerage HUB that fulfills dreams (employment) beyond the region
Dongmyung University is leading the On-site Internship Brokerage HUB project, matching university students from Seoul, Gyeonggi, Honam, and other regions nationwide with specialized companies in the Southeast region.
Over the past three years, it has brokered internships for 102 university students from 40 universities and 52 companies. Internships last from 4 to 8 weeks short-term, up to 12 to 13 weeks long-term, during which students receive a fixed activity allowance while gaining on-site experience.
Some programs offer academic credit. The project is solidifying its practicality, with 82% of participating students and 96% of participating companies expressing satisfaction.
Students gain early exposure to companies specialized in the Southeast region (machinery, automobiles, robotics, shipbuilding, logistics, tourism).
Fifteen universities from other regions nationwide (including Chung-Ang University, Sungkyunkwan University, Dankook University, Ewha Womans University, Korea National University of Transportation, Hannam University, Mokpo National University, Hanseo University, Jeonju University, Jeonbuk National University, Honam University, Seowon University, Cheongju University, etc.) and 32 companies in the Southeast region have signed agreements to participate.
Dongmyung University's on-site problem-solving program, Living Lab.
◆ Living Lab that dives into the region to identify and solve real-world problems
Problems are always close by. Dongmyung University operates a program that directly identifies and immediately solves real-world problems. The university believes that developing problem-solving skills plays a major role in accumulating employment strength.
Students add expertise to their passion, donating their talents while further developing them. They form various Living Lab teams (community-based talent donation activities) tailored to their departments to solve real-world problems outside the campus.
In its third year, this year 172 students from 29 teams across 13 departments have been actively engaged since June in fields such as tourism, educational environment health, and safety welfare, including hand hygiene education for infectious disease prevention (Infection Control Team), infectious disease prevention at indoor fitness centers (Out-COVID Team), and shared electric scooter safety education (Blue Voice Team).
The Famous Site Exploration Living Lab team introduces hidden tourist spots in the Busan area through relay explorations and UCC videos.
Activities for socially vulnerable groups have also attracted attention, including smart farms, new concept playgrounds utilizing kindergarten rooftops, Korean language instruction for youth with developmental disabilities, dormitory bedding replacement and cleaning using seniors, volunteer hearing services at senior welfare centers, and breast self-examination.
The Military Science Department is actively working on preserving and utilizing Busan’s battle sites and preparing support plans for socially vulnerable and marginalized youth.
The Department of Speech Therapy and Audiology has as many as 10 teams with 58 members participating.
Dongmyung University’s extracurricular Living Lab had 28 participants in 6 teams in 2018 and 131 participants in 24 teams in 2019. Living Lab is a public-private-people partnerships (PPPP) convergence activity that goes beyond campus walls to explore real society, identify problems, and propose solutions.
Students from Dongmyeong Bubu Sang are participating in the Propak Asia exhibition in Bangkok, Thailand, supporting the introduction of local companies' products.
◆ ‘Dongmyung Bobusang,’ a prestigious program with a 10-year history for training global marketers
When you think of Dongmyung University, one name comes to mind simultaneously: ‘Bobusang.’
‘Dongmyung Bobusang’ refers to the ‘global marketers’?students who discover overseas buyers for small and medium enterprises and support domestic companies’ promotion and sales.
With a spirit of challenge first and foreign language skills as well, students receive full expense support to fly overseas. Dongmyung Bobusang is a unique overseas field program with a 10-year history widely recognized as Dongmyung University’s distinctive program.
Bobusang played a decisive role in securing a $1 million export contract with Thailand. Although COVID-19 has imposed restrictions, Bobusang is now reaching the world via online platforms.
While activities such as interpreting at overseas exhibitions and discovering buyers have ceased, the program continues as a competition supporting overseas buyer discovery and product promotion online to develop overseas markets.
Products from five companies?Nanotec Ceramics Co., Ltd. (functional shoes), Yumera Cosmetic (cosmetics), Giwon Solutec Co., Ltd. (oxygen supply devices), Ddakko Co., Ltd. (wet tissues), and Korea System Co., Ltd. (masks)?are promoted online for about two months through brochures and videos.
When Bobusang discovers overseas buyers, it supports actual exports by linking with family companies. Export performance through Bobusang over the past three years was 925 million KRW in 2017, 426.78 million KRW in 2018, and 9.435 billion KRW in 2019.
Shin Dong-seok, Director of the LINC+ project team and Vice President of Strategic Planning at Dongmyung University, who has served as head of industry-academic cooperation for nearly 20 years, said, “The key to opening employment doors is shifting from alma mater to job experience.”
He cited a recent survey (Jinhaksa) of 3,212 job seekers, where about 50% (1,550) previously chose ‘alma mater’ as important, but recently 74% (2,223) emphasized ‘job experience.’
He explained, “The On-site Internship Brokerage HUB provides diverse job experiences in Southeast region specialized industries to students from other regions, spreading a regional industry demand-customized education model.”
President Jeong Hong-seop of Dongmyung University said about the outbound Living Lab, “It focuses on clear problem definition and generating solution ideas, helping students develop the ability to solve real-world problems.”
President Jeong added, “Along with expert mentoring, we promote product and service development, follow-up support, and entry into social economy enterprises (cooperatives, village enterprises, social enterprises).”
With the strength accumulated from the Living Lab program, Dongmyung University may soon foster startups or cooperatives specializing in problem-solving, management, and improvement.
‘Dongmyung Bobusang’ is also an outbound activity crossing borders. It opens export paths for family companies and cultivates global capabilities for students.
The reasons why Dongmyung University is a university strong in employment and earns the title of ‘prestigious employment university’ have become clear.
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