[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Duyul] The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education is expanding the ‘Specialized High School Global Field Training’ project to significantly increase employment opportunities for vocational high school students and strengthen their global competencies starting from the 2023 academic year.
First launched in 2010, this project is designed to enhance the global vocational skills of specialized high school students and cultivate professional talents with international competitiveness.
Up to last year, 311 students participated, with 251 students securing employment locally overseas, including in Australia.
This year, 29 students conducted field training in Australia, of whom 19 found local employment. The remaining 10 students returned home first and plan to re-depart once they obtain their working visas.
From the 2023 academic year, the Busan Office of Education plans to significantly expand this project to include 40 students in Australia and 30 students in Singapore.
In the case of Singapore, the program will specialize in culinary and tourism fields to support students’ global competency enhancement and local employment.
Additionally, 30 students from three Meister high schools?Busan Mechanical Technical High School, Busan Automotive High School, and Busan Software Meister High School?have been taking German language courses since March last year to prepare for local employment in Germany.
These students aim to apply for and pass the Ausbildung program in Germany in 2024.
The Busan Office of Education is also providing various supports to help students adapt smoothly to the local environment.
Programs are operated before and after departure to help students learn the local language and culture, and mentor teachers are dispatched to assist students’ local lives.
These teachers provide emotional care including student life guidance and communication with parents, as well as overall support for local adaptation.
Ha Yun-su, Superintendent of Busan Metropolitan Office of Education, said, “The Busan Office of Education is striving to provide excellent employment opportunities for vocational high school students through cooperation among government, industry, and academia,” adding, “We will continue to implement various policies to strengthen the global competencies of vocational high school students and expand their employment opportunities both domestically and internationally.”
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