Gyeongsan Gyeongbuk Mechanical and Metal High School Selected as "Contracted Specialized High School"... Employment Agreements Signed with 70 Companies for 140 Positions

The Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) announced on June 10 that Gyeongbuk Mechanical and Metal High School in Gyeongsan City has been finally selected as a specialized high school in the smart manufacturing field for the Ministry of Education's "2025 Contracted Specialized High School Contest Project."

The "contracted specialized high school" is a new type of vocational high school under the slogan "A school designed together by the community," where the local community and businesses collaborate to design the curriculum and encourage students to find employment and settle in the region. Since 2024, the Ministry of Education has been designating 10 such schools each year, with plans to expand to a total of 35 schools by 2027.

Representatives from various sectors of the local community are holding a signing ceremony as Gyeongsan Gyeongbuk Mechanical and Metal High School has been selected as a contracted specialized high school.

Following the selection of Pohang Heunghae Technical High School (secondary battery field) last year, this year’s selection of Gyeongbuk Mechanical and Metal High School (smart manufacturing field) further strengthens the foundation for an education system tailored to the needs of local industries in the Gyeongbuk region.

Gyeongbuk Mechanical and Metal High School has signed employment agreements with 70 local companies for the recruitment of 140 individuals to meet the workforce demand in the smart manufacturing sector of the Gyeongsan industrial complex. Accordingly, starting with the 2026 academic year, students who complete the specialized smart manufacturing curriculum will have the opportunity to be employed by the partner companies upon graduation.

For the implementation of this project, the Ministry of Education, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Education, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government, and the Gyeongsan City Government will jointly provide a total budget of 10 billion KRW. This is expected to enable the provision of an excellent educational environment and high-quality vocational education opportunities.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office of Education, stated, "In an era when regional depopulation is accelerating, the operation of contracted specialized high schools will serve as an important foundation for expanding local settlement and nurturing talent for future industries." He added, "Gyeongbuk vocational high schools will continue to establish the nation’s top educational environment and develop students’ competencies with curricula that proactively respond to industrial changes."