Südkorea bietet Beschäftigung für qualifizierte 50- und 60-Jährige

South Korea to Provide Job Opportunities to Those in their 50s and 60s with Skills

Among the unemployed aged between 50 and 69, those with professional certificates or relevant experiences may participate in the career-based work project for the new middle-aged with skills (hereinafter referred to as the "career-based work project") to contribute to their communities.

The project will last until the end of this year although the working period may differ depending on specific programs. Participants will be granted four major social insurance schemes and salaries above the minimum wage.

The career-based work project, which began in 2019, intends to provide retired professionals in their 50s and 60s with job opportunities necessary in local communities, and support their re-employment in the private sector.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced last December its plan to select 518 programs from 118 local governments and provide 3,437 job opportunities by the end of this year.

There are various areas they may participate in, including improving living conditions for the vulnerable, providing business consulting to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), educating students with disabilities, providing consulting on industrial safety of construction sites, supporting tourism assistance for travellers with mobility limitations, providing vocational counseling to platform workers, as well as teaching agricultural technology.

Best Practices in 2021

Park retired as a director after working for the ship manufacturing industry for 43 years. Looking for a job to utilize his skills after retirement, he was informed by his acquaintance about the project and joined a program of improving living conditions. Park provided pipe cleaning and facility inspection services to more than 1,000 vulnerable households in his community. He said that he felt rewarded when many people were able to use clean and safe water thanks to his work.

Kim, who retired as a branch manager after working at a bank for 27 years, began to serve as an instructor for four years to provide financial and personnel education. Thinking about how to use his ability to contribute to his community, he participated in the "Business Mentorship Program" jointly operated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and his local government.

Through this program, Kim provided comprehensive consulting services in the fields of business administration, finance, personnel management, accounting, and public relations to SMEs alongside other professional retirees. In particular, Kim used his teaching skills to provide education to raise awareness for employers and workers. He garnered much praise by offering assistance to his mentees even outside of his working hours.

Retirees in their 50s and 60s who wish to participate in the project can check out programs matching their careers or certificates on the tab "Career-based Work Project" of local government websites. Young-joong Kim, Deputy Minister of the Employment Policy Office, said, "We hope that retired professionals in their 50s and 60s will not only contribute to their communities through this project but also have re-employment opportunities in the private sector."