60 Second-Year Vocational High School Students in Gyeongbuk Pre-Selected for Recruitment by Companies Including PNT and Ajou Steel

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education (Superintendent Lim Jong-sik) announced on January 5 that, as a result of the '2025 Vocational Education Innovation District Preliminary Selection Process,' 223 students applied, resulting in a competition rate of 3.8 to 1, and 60 second-year students from vocational high schools in the province were selected in advance.

The number of successful candidates by company was as follows: 12 students for Ajou Steel Co., Ltd., 20 for PNT Co., Ltd., 5 for Sewon Moolsan Co., Ltd., 18 for Jahwa Electronics Co., Ltd., and 5 for Samgwang Co., Ltd. This selection process was carried out in collaboration with leading companies in the regional manufacturing, electrical, and electronics sectors, which are recognized as key mid-sized enterprises driving the local industry.

On December 3rd last year, a company recruitment briefing session was held at Gyeongbuk Mechanical and Metal High School in Gyeongsan city.

The Vocational Education Innovation District project aims to systematically nurture local technical talent by strengthening the connection between regional industries and vocational high schools, and to increase the employment rate of high school graduates and local settlement rates through a recruitment-linked preliminary selection system.

The second-year vocational high school students who were selected in advance will participate in a variety of customized educational programs until October 2026, when they begin on-site training at their respective companies. These programs include obtaining major-related certifications, employment interview camps, special lectures by external instructors, company site visits, and completion of an 80-hour recruitment-linked job training course.

The Gyeongbuk Office of Education plans to actively support students so they can develop into talents equipped with the practical skills required by companies through such job training, and to ensure that both companies and students are satisfied with their roles and can settle stably in the Gyeongbuk region.

In addition, starting with this preliminary selection, the office plans to discover additional companies participating in the Vocational Education Innovation District in the first half of 2026, thereby expanding employment opportunities at excellent mid-sized companies in the province for more vocational high school students.

Lim Jong-sik, Superintendent of Gyeongbuk Office of Education, stated, "Through high school graduate recruitment via the Vocational Education Innovation District, students will have increased opportunities for early employment, and companies will be able to secure regionally tailored talent in advance. We will actively support the close connection between local industries and vocational high schools so that it leads to young people settling in the region."