"Employment Upon Admission"... Korea University of Technology and Education's Chungnam-Style Semiconductor Contract Department

Employment-linked corporate training model launched... Cultivating practice-oriented talent by combining study and work

A "contract department," where employment is guaranteed upon admission, is a new industry-academia cooperation education system in which students build their careers before graduation by combining academic studies with work at companies.

Korea University of Technology and Education has welcomed the first cohort of 32 freshmen to the Chungnam-style contract department, the Department of Semiconductor and Display Engineering, newly established for the 2026 academic year.

According to the university on February 27, the biggest feature of this department is that employment is guaranteed upon admission. The curriculum and hiring process are jointly designed by the university and semiconductor and display materials, parts, and equipment companies in the Chungnam region. Students start working at companies from their sophomore year while continuing their studies.

Minseong Kim (20), who enrolled from Ansan in Gyeonggi Province, said after completing a four-night, five-day orientation, "Through AI education and special lectures by companies, my career path has become clear, and the greatest competitive edge is that I can build work experience at a company even before graduation."

This orientation was conducted as a customized program specifically for the contract department, separate from general departments.

At the Naouri RISE Camp held at the Jaeneung Education Training Center, industry-focused training was provided through team activities along with special lectures on smart factories, generative AI education, safety training, and sexual harassment prevention training.

In addition, the operational structure of the contract department and its employment-linked system were shared through a meeting with parents.

Korea University of Technology and Education designed the department’s operation with a focus on employment. Freshmen receive a full tuition waiver, and sophomores and juniors receive a 50% tuition reduction.

During this period, students work at companies and receive wages above the minimum hourly wage, and they earn a degree upon completing 120 credits by the end of their junior year.

Department Chair Youngseok Sim said, "The contract department provides stable employment for students and immediately deployable, practice-oriented talent for companies," adding, "It will establish itself as a core talent supply model for the semiconductor and display industries in Chungnam."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.