Ministry of Industry Opens Center for Nurturing Future Innovation Talent in Shipbuilding and Marine Industry

On the 20th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy held an opening ceremony for the 'Shipbuilding and Marine Future Innovation Talent Development Center' at the HD Hyundai Global R&D Center (GRC) in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, attended by First Vice Minister Kang Kyung-sung, representatives of the three major shipbuilders (HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Samsung Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean), and the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association.

The Shipbuilding and Marine Future Innovation Talent Development Center is a manpower training project jointly promoted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and shipbuilders as a follow-up measure to the public-private 'K-Shipbuilding Next Generation Initiative,' which began operation on the 5th, aimed at securing the insufficient specialized workforce in the shipbuilding industry.

The center plans to train about 1,000 specialized personnel annually in design, research, and other fields necessary for the shipbuilding industry. The Ministry will collaborate on developing company-customized curricula in future shipbuilding technology fields, shipbuilders will support educational spaces and instructors, and local governments will provide region-specific shipbuilding industry specialized facilities.

The Shipbuilding and Marine Future Innovation Talent Development Center will operate the metropolitan area education center at the HD Hyundai GRC and the southeastern region education center at Samsung Heavy Industries DT Campus in Geoje, Gyeongnam. The Ministry stated that it will actively support expanding the centers to major regions nationwide in the future to become a core hub for regional shipbuilding workforce development.

After the opening ceremony, First Vice Minister Kang Kyung-sung held a 'Shipbuilding Industry Workforce Issues Meeting,' where, in addition to representatives of the three major shipbuilders, personnel officers, job seekers, and foreign production workers conveyed workforce-related difficulties and suggestions.