Ulsan Technical High School Selected to Nurture Talent in Heavy and Chemical Industries
Consortium Formed with 136 Organizations Including Local Governments, Companies, and Universities
The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education (Superintendent Cheon Changsu) is taking on the first call for applications for the "Agreement-based Specialized High School" program organized by the Ministry of Education.
The "Agreement-based Specialized High School" is a type of vocational high school where local governments, offices of education, companies, and schools form a consortium to provide customized education tailored to local industries and to foster field-oriented talent.
If selected as an agreement-based specialized high school, the school will receive up to 4.5 billion KRW in funding over a maximum of five years, along with various administrative and financial support measures equivalent to those provided to Meister high schools. These include designation as an autonomous or research school, an increase in teaching staff, additional points in evaluations, and a reduction in the number of students.
The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education plans to apply with Ulsan Technical High School as the candidate school, aiming to establish a foundation for regionally customized vocational education.
Ulsan Technical High School is a public specialized high school. In line with the advancement of Ulsan's core heavy and chemical industries, the school has reorganized its departments into four areas, focusing on nurturing technical talent and training specialized professionals required in industrial fields.
The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education has formed a consortium by signing agreements with a total of 136 organizations and institutions, including Ulsan City Hall, six district and county offices, 112 companies such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, 13 related agencies, and three local universities.
In cooperation with these organizations, the Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education plans to jointly operate a variety of programs, including customized curricula, company-linked employment opportunities, work-study parallel training and further education, and support for local settlement. The goal is to nurture industrial talent for the region and to attract and retain local youth.
For this call, the Ministry of Education will accept applications from up to three consortia per metropolitan/provincial office of education and will select approximately ten schools. The final results are scheduled to be announced in June.
The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education expects that the designation of the Opportunity Development Zone (which promotes the advancement of Ulsan's key industries) will increase workforce demand. The office plans to focus on operating projects in connection with the Ulsan Education Development Zone, the Ulsan Vocational Education Innovation District, and the Regional Innovation Project based on cooperation with local governments and universities (RISE Project).
In particular, by utilizing the Ulsan Vocational Education Complex Center, which was established last year as the first of its kind in the country, the office plans to support technical education and employment, and to work in conjunction with local government initiatives for high school graduate employment and local settlement, thereby cultivating industrial talent in the heavy and chemical industries.
Superintendent Cheon Changsu stated, "Fostering agreement-based specialized high schools is the first step in building a vocational education foundation that will enhance Ulsan's industrial competitiveness and create a city where young people can settle. We will continue to collaborate with local governments, universities, and companies to nurture the talent needed by local industries."
Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education
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