9th Graduation Ceremony, 611 Total Graduates
All Graduates Employed by IT Companies or Started Their Own Businesses
Free Education Provided in Electrical, Electronics, and IT Fields
LG Electronics has been consistently supporting youth self-reliance in Ethiopia, the only African country that sent ground troops to the Korean War, by providing free vocational training.
On August 9 (local time), the LG-KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) Hope Vocational Training School in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, held its 9th graduation ceremony. The event was attended by 70 graduates, Jung Pilwon, Executive Vice President and Head of LG Electronics Middle East and Africa Region, Jung Kang, Ambassador of Korea to Ethiopia, and Teshale Berecha, Vice Minister of Labor and Skills of Ethiopia.
The cumulative number of graduates from the LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School has reached 611, with a 100% employment and entrepreneurship rate. All graduates have either found employment at IT (Information Technology) companies or started their own businesses utilizing the skills they acquired, successfully entering society. Some of the graduates are currently working at LG Electronics’ overseas subsidiaries or local companies in Dubai, Kenya, South Africa, and other locations.
The LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School was established in 2014 as a technical education institution, in cooperation with KOICA and the Ethiopian government, as a gesture of gratitude to the only African country that participated in the Korean War. Each year, students are selected through written exams and interviews, and receive free education in electrical, electronics, and IT fields. To help students focus on their studies, the school also provides lunch and a shuttle bus service.
Students at the Ethiopia LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School are receiving education about TVs. LG Electronics.
In recognition of its systematic curriculum that helps local youth develop technical skills and grow into healthy members of society, the school was selected as an exemplary vocational training institution by the Ethiopian government in 2020.
This year’s graduate, Mahlet Girmay, the granddaughter of Korean War veteran Yelma Tegegn, said, “I am grateful to LG for giving me the opportunity to deeply learn various skills and knowledge in the IT field. I will continue my studies and build a successful career in the IT industry.”
Since 2021, LG Electronics has also been operating the LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School in Cambodia. Three vocational training schools located in Phnom Penh, Battambang, and other regions offer specialized courses in electronics, electrical engineering, and ICT (Information and Communication Technology). LG Electronics provides comprehensive support to help students at the Cambodia LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School focus on their development, including classroom remodeling and provision of educational equipment, scholarships for outstanding and underprivileged students, and training to strengthen instructors’ capabilities.
In addition, since 2017, LG Electronics has been conducting the “LG Ambassador Challenge,” a locally focused social contribution program that helps local communities solve their own problems and enhance self-reliance through ideas generated by local residents.
When local residents propose solutions to various difficulties they face, such as lack of social infrastructure or poor educational environments, LG Electronics works with them to carry out problem-solving projects, supporting sustainable self-reliance. So far, a total of 94 projects have been implemented in nine countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Peru, the Philippines, and Bangladesh, contributing to the improvement of local residents’ quality of life.
Yoon Daesik, Executive Vice President and Head of External Relations at LG Electronics, said, “As a global corporate citizen, we deeply empathize with the lives of customers around the world, and we will continue to help young people everywhere nurture their dreams and achieve healthy independence.”
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