Intensive Training and Addition of Night and Weekend Courses
"The Politec Midlife Specialized Program became a major turning point for me. After completing the course, I continued to study and successively passed the Industrial Electrician and Electrician certifications. Even if you are older, if there is something you want to do, I hope you do not hesitate and take on the challenge."
Seo Jongwon (58, male) worked for 25 years at a railway company and for 5 years at a battery company before retiring. Afterwards, he sought reemployment by enrolling at Korea Polytechnic University and completed the Electric Wiring Construction Practical Midlife Specialized Program. As a result, he obtained the Electrician Technician certificate in a short period and succeeded in finding a new job. He is currently working as a safety management supervisor at an electrical construction company.
On May 15, the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Korea Polytechnic University announced that they would expand the number of trainees in the "Midlife Specialized Program" from 2,800 to 7,500 this year to support reemployment for middle-aged and older adults who have retired or wish to change careers, like Mr. Seo. The Midlife Specialized Program operated by Korea Polytechnic University is a vocational training program designed to enhance the technical capabilities of adults aged 40 and older and support their reemployment.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor explained that, as retirements among middle-aged adults (the second baby boomer generation) are accelerating, the need for career transitions and reentry into the labor market is increasing. Therefore, the ministry has included this project in the first supplementary budget for the year and decided to expand the training target. In addition, to meet the needs of middle-aged adults who want intensive training and rapid reemployment, 1- to 2-month intensive training courses will be offered, and night and weekend courses will also be introduced to broaden the trainees' options.
For programs that support reemployment of middle-aged adults who have completed the Midlife Specialized Program, the linkage with the "Midlife Career Support Project" will be strengthened. The Midlife Career Support Project aims to provide middle-aged adults wishing to change careers with opportunities for hands-on experience in their desired fields. Through this supplementary budget, the ministry increased the number of participants in this project from 900 to 2,000. As a result, comprehensive support connecting "vocational training → work experience → employment" has been reinforced.
Lim Youngmi, Director of the Vocational Competency Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, "The Midlife Specialized Program is a field-oriented vocational training program that adds new knowledge and skills to the experience and expertise accumulated by middle-aged adults throughout their lives," adding, "We will continue to expand the scale of training and actively support the second act of life for middle-aged adults by linking with various employment support services."
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