Vocational Education in South Korea

Vocational Education in South Korea Dr. Ji Sun CHUNG Senior Research Fellow. ©KRIVET 2013. 1.

Contents. I. Introduction to Vocational Education II. Vocational High Schools III. Vocational Colleges. ©KRIVET 2013. 2.

I. Introduction to Vocational Education. ©KRIVET 2013. 3.

VET systems in Korea • Vocational education is implemented under the formal education system administered by the Ministry of Education. • Vocational training is carried out as non-formal learning administered mainly by the Ministry of Employment & Labor.. ©KRIVET 2013. 4.

Formal Education System of Korea Schooling System (6-3-3-4 system) Graduate School (4yrs). University Open University Corporate University. (2-3 yrs) Vocational College. Polytech University. (3yrs). General High School Special purpose HS Self Governing Private HS. (2yrs) Polytech College. Vocational High School - Specialized Vocational H S - Meister High School. (3 yrs - compulsory). Middle School. (6 yrs - compulsory). Primary School. (3 yrs). Kindergarten ©KRIVET 2013. 5.

Shift in Industries ●Before 1960s Agricultural industry. ●From 1960s Manufacturing industries -textile, general merchandise industries (e.g. footwear, wig industries). ©KRIVET 2013. 6.

Vocational education and training policies to support economic development ◆1962 beginning of economic dev. (GDP per capita $87) - Light industries (wig, footwear, textile): semi-skilled and low-skilled workers - 6 years of elementary (primary) ed. Compulsory - Establishment of public training centers - Vocational Training Law in 1967: Compulsory Vocational Training System (Working with) - Koreans’ indigenous enthusiasm (zeal) for education (Confucian culture) - Aspiration for upward social mobility ©KRIVET 2013. 7.

1970s ~ 1980s: Transitioned to Heavy and Chemical industries Petro-chemical, shipbuilding, automobile, electric and electronic industry ◆Skilled workers and technicians were needed Expansion of vocational high schools, vocational colleges, in-house training system. ©KRIVET 2013. 8.

1980s ~ early 1990s • Shifted to technology-intensive industries - High demand for high-skilled workers - Expansion of 2-year vocational colleges, polytechnic universities, and 4-year universities - Development strategy based on quality - Cultivation of multi-skilled technicians: - Increase in role of public training organization. ©KRIVET 2013. 9.

- Introduction of Employment Insurance System (1995) serving as a social safety net - Skills development training for the employed as well as the unemployed - Establishment of organization responsible for qualification authorization as well as evaluation and management of public vocational training institutes * HRD Korea ©KRIVET 2013. 10.

Shift in Industries. • Before 1990s. Manufacturing Industries. • From 1990s. Service Industries. ©KRIVET 2013. 11.

Ec. Dev. & VET  1990s: Advent of knowledge-based economy - knowledge intensive and more highly skilled workers were needed. ★VET: Expansion of vocational colleges & universities, higher education. ©KRIVET 2013. 12.

2000s ~ • Socio-economic Background - Low growth, lower employment rate - Social polarization, - Low birth rate, increase in population ageing - High demand to support smaller enterprises and disadvantaged groups - Complex demand from industry and users: Shift from government-led vocational training policy to private-initiated voluntary training. ©KRIVET 2013. 13.

- Increased cultivation of customized workforce - Shift from supply-driven to demand-driven economy - For smaller enterprises and disadvantaged groups: specialized system to support SMEs and disadvantaged groups (low income group, under-educated, female householders, aged). ©KRIVET 2013. 14.

Enrollment rates (2012) • • • •. Elementary school 98.6% Middle School 99.9% High school 99.7% University/College 71.3%. * Source : Korean Education Development Institute(KEDI) 2012, Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) 2012. ©KRIVET 2013. 15.

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Higher Education Enrollment Rates Year. Enrollment Rates (%) Total. Male. Female. 1980 elite 1990 1995 mass 1997 2000 universal. 15.9 33.2 55.1 68.8 80.5. 23.4 55.6 63.8 85.7 89.1. 8.1 24.3 34.4 50.9 60.7. 2008. 83.8. 84.0. 82.2. 2011. 72.5. 70.2. 75.0. 2012. 71.3. 69.0. 74.3. Source : Korean Education Development Institute(KEDI) 2012, Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) 2012 Notice : The counting formula has been changed from the number of accepted applicant to the number of enrollment(2011). ©KRIVET 2013. 17.

<Wage Differences by Educational Attainment>. Year. High School Graduates. Junior College Graduates. University Graduates. 2001. 100. 103.6. 152.3. 2006. 100. 108.0. 155.4. 2009. 100. 112.5. 155.2. 2011. 100. 115.9. 156.5. 2012. 100. 115.0. 167.0. Source : OECD Education at a Glance (EAG) 2012. ©KRIVET 2013. 18.

II. Vocational High Schools. ©KRIVET 2013. 19.

Vocational High Schools – aim to educate skilled workers equipped with sound vocational awareness and professional knowledge to enable them to cope with rapid changes in the information-oriented industrial society – 653 vocational high schools with 423,544 students accounts for 22.1% of total high school enrollment(2012) – Each vocational high school specializes in one of the following fields: technical, business /commerce, agriculture, marine, home economics, …. – Innovative forms of vocational high schools have also been introduced, such as the specialized high school, Meister high school, and comprehensive high school Source : Korean Education Development Institute(KEDI) 2012, Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) 2012 ©KRIVET 2013. 20.

Trends in Number of VHS Students (1965-2012) (unit: 10,000 persons) Number of general high school students. Number of Vocational high school students 200 150. 147. 150. 126. 124. 132. 153. 125. 100 64 50. 88. 81. 91 74. 47. 25. 50. 17. 47. 0 1965. 1975. 1985. 1990. Number of Meister High School: 35(2013) Number of Meister High School students: 5,210. 1995. 2000. 2005. 2011. 34 2012. <Source : Korean Education Development Institute(KEDI) 2012 >. ©KRIVET 2013. 21.

Low-skilled Labor market opened to Foreign Workers • Number of Foreign workers In 2003 : 351,000 (legal 61,000 + illegal 290,000). ★ In 2004 ☞ Work permit was institutionalized In 2009 : 461,203 In 2012 : 908,944(legal 588,944 + illegal 320,000). <Source : Ministry of Public Administration And Security(MOPAS)2012, ©KRIVET 2013 Statistics Korea (KOSTAT) 2012 >. 22.

• Shortage of low-skilled labor force to response to the demand of industries - high-school graduate workers. ▶ Over supply of higher education resulting in youth unemployment rate increase - NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) is another challenge to Korea. ©KRIVET 2013. 23.

Vocational High Schools – aim to educate skilled workers equipped with sound vocational awareness and professional knowledge to enable them to cope with rapid changes in the informationoriented industrial society – Innovative forms of vocational high schools have also been introduced, such as the specialized vocational high school, meister high school, and comprehensive high school. ©KRIVET 2013. 24.

Specialized Vocational High School • Number of schools: 483 (20.6% of total number of high schools, 2012). • Number of students: 327,920 (17.2% of total number of high school students, 2012). • Educational System – Train students’ basic core competency needed in one’s career life – Offers industry demand oriented and customized curriculum with practical field training opportunities – Teachers with industrial experience – Provide field trip opportunities to selected students with outstanding quality to companies overseas. ©KRIVET 2013. 25.

Employment rates of Specialized High Schools. • Government policy focuses on more employment than education itself from 2010. • Employment rate of specialized high school graduates were 16.7% in 2009 increased to 38.4% in 2012 Expected as 49.4% in 2013. 26.

Meister High Schools (vocational high school) ★ Meister High School provides free education to produce young meisters (masters) • Opened in 2010 • The Ministry provides the graduates with the opportunities to be in stable employment after graduation, to serve the army as a noncombatant in one's own area of expertise, and to enter college with 3-year work experience.. ©KRIVET 2013. 27.

Meister High School (vocational high school). • Number of Meister High Schools: 35(2013) • Number of Meister High School students: 5,210. Source : Ministry of Education, Science and Technology(MOST) ©KRIVET 2013, 2013 Korea Research Institute of Vocational Training(KRIVET) 2013. 28.

III. Vocational Colleges. ©KRIVET 2013. 29.

Vocational Colleges (Higher Vocational Education) • Vocational Colleges aim to produce middle-level technicians equipped with a solid base in theories and. skills - offer 2~3 year post-secondary programs. - Currently, 142 Vocational Colleges with an enrollment of 769,888 students. (2012) - Associate degree Source : Korean Education Development Institute(KEDI) 2012, Statistics ©KRIVET 2013 Korea (KOSTAT) 2012. 30.

Vocational Colleges (Higher Vocational Education) • Vocational colleges and industrial colleges were established to deliver vocational education for higher level education.. • Specialized courses are offered in the following fields: technology, agriculture, nursing, fishery, health, commercial and business, home economics, arts, nurture, athletics, horticulture, cosmetology, etc.. ©KRIVET 2013. 31.

Customized Education • In 1996, the customized education system was introduced to vocational college, and to foster schoolindustry collaboration.. • The aim was to reflect the real needs of employers in the school curriculum so that the students can be equipped with the skills that are relevant to the workplace by the time they graduate.. ©KRIVET 2013. 32.

• On the whole, however, vocational education in Korea has been rather successful. It has made efforts to modify school administration and curriculum management in line with the general transformation of the education system and changes in the way people learn.. ©KRIVET 2013. 33.

• VET programs offered by various organizations in Korea should be conducted smoothly so that vocational education can be linked to lifelong learning and continuing education. There should also be support for freer transition between school and the world of work.. ©KRIVET 2013. 34.

• Corporate Technical Universities - are institutions affiliated with large companies, called the Corporate Technical Colleges (Universities) - offer three levels of programs for selected employees: vocational college , undergraduate and graduate level programs. ©KRIVET 2013. 35.

• Polytechnic universities (4 yrs.) - aim to provide employed youth and adults with an alternative approach to higher education - confer a bachelor’s degree. ©KRIVET 2013. 36.

World Class College (WCC) • Korean government supports 80 vocational colleges with excellent education capacity through the University Education Capacity Enhancement Program. • 21 among 80 are selected as the World Class Colleges that will lead the vocational education of Korea.. ©KRIVET 2013. 37.

WCC • WCC autonomously choose areas in which they have competitive advantage, such as auto repair, physical therapy, and broadcasting.. • Such autonomy and competitiveness would help produce well trained graduates ready for the labor market. • Overseas internship is provided for students. ©KRIVET 2013. 38.

School-to-Work, Work-to-School • The government has worked hard to develop the vocational education sector. Efforts include the establishment of a lifelong vocational education system and reform of the VE system to integrate learning and work. • Moreover, establishing a school-industry linkage, curriculum development based on real labor market needs, restructuring of VET institutions, diversifying pathways to higher education as a stepping stone to a further education system, and fostering a more favorable perception of the VET learners are all critical efforts that are under way.. ©KRIVET 2013. 39.

Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training June 2013 jschung@krivet.re.kr. Reproduction of this document or its content is not allowed without prior permission. ©KRIVET 2013. 40.