Realizing a Competency-Centered Society... Ministry of Employment and Labor Awards Vocational Competency Development Contributors

Application Submission Open Until the 19th of Next Month... 95 Selected

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jeong-sik Photo by Yonhap News

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 19th that it has announced the 'Vocational Competency Development Merit Award Plan' to honor those who have contributed to establishing a competency-based recruitment, evaluation, and training system, and will accept applications and recommendation letters for award candidates until the 19th of next month.

Since its inception in 1997, the Vocational Competency Development Merit Award has been a system to encourage individuals who have contributed to lifelong vocational competency development for all citizens and the realization of a competency-centered society. This year, awards such as medals, plaques, and presidential citations will be given to 95 people across six categories.

In particular, the Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to actively discover contributors in the fields of digital, new technology, and industrial transition training, which are key tasks in the vocational training sector.

The awardees include business owners, workers, excellent skilled technicians, representatives of vocational training institutions, vocational training instructors, and personnel engaged in human resource development (HRD) and qualification work. Three will receive medals, five plaques, eleven presidential citations, twenty-one prime minister citations, and fifty-five minister of employment and labor citations.

Those who wish to receive the Vocational Competency Development Merit Award can apply directly as candidates or recommend candidates through the National Recommendation Award System. Those who wish to apply directly should submit application documents to the designated reception institutions according to the award category, such as local employment and labor offices, the Human Resources Development Service of Korea, Korea Polytechnic University, Korea University of Technology and Education, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and industry- or region-specific human resource development committees.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will conduct a public verification for more than 15 days on the submitted award candidates and then select awardees through the merit review committee. The final awardees will receive their awards at the 27th Vocational Competency Month Commemoration Ceremony held in September, which is designated as 'Vocational Competency Month.'

Kwon Tae-sung, Director of the Vocational Competency Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, "To respond to the rapidly changing labor market due to the 4th Industrial Revolution and industrial structural transformation, we must enhance lifelong employability through vocational competency development for all citizens. We will find and honor those who have contributed to vocational competency development, such as nurturing talent in digital and new technology fields, to raise social interest in lifelong vocational competency development."