"Internship Opportunities for People with Severe Disabilities, Join Seoul City"

Recruitment of 24 Interns

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 8th that it will recruit 24 participants for the ‘2023 Severe Disability Internship Program’ starting tomorrow.

The Severe Disability Internship Program is a project that provides employment experience opportunities and customized training to severely disabled individuals who face difficulties in finding jobs. It was first implemented in 2015, and until 2022, a total of 196 disabled people participated, of whom 79 succeeded in gaining employment.

This year, Seoul will select 24 interns with severe disabilities. The selected interns will work for about 10 months from the 6th of next month to December 29 at disability-related organizations such as welfare centers for the disabled and independent living support centers for the disabled. Interns will be able to experience a wide range of tasks from project planning to accounting management.

Applicants must be registered severely disabled individuals aged 18 or older in Seoul, and anyone who has not had more than one year of full-time work experience at disability welfare facilities or disability organizations is eligible to apply.

Citizens who wish to participate in the Severe Disability Internship Program can check the internship recruitment guidelines and hiring organizations on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website and submit an application to the institution where they wish to work by the 22nd.

Selection will be finalized after document and interview screening by the hiring organizations and eligibility review by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The results will be announced on the Seoul Metropolitan Government website on the 2nd of next month.

The final successful candidates will receive pre-training (including project planning and reporting, document writing program usage, basic accounting, workplace etiquette education, etc.) in early next month before being assigned to the work site. The monthly salary will be approximately 2.2 million KRW (before tax, including four major insurances) based on a 40-hour workweek.

Gyeongja, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Disability Independence Support Division, stated, “Many disabled people who have the will and capability to work are excluded from the job market because they lack work experience. Therefore, Seoul supports disabled individuals to gain diverse work experience and build careers through the Severe Disability Internship Program so they can find their desired career paths.” She added, “Seoul will continue to strive to help disabled people achieve economic independence and self-realization through employment.”