Samsung Electro-Mechanics announced on the 24th that it has produced its first graduates from a program operated in partnership with Sungkyunkwan University to train talent in materials and component technologies.
In 2022, Samsung Electro-Mechanics established a tailored contract department at Sungkyunkwan University called the Materials and Components Convergence Engineering Department, integrating fields such as electronics, new materials, mechanical engineering, and chemical engineering into university education. This program is a regular bachelor's degree course approved by the Ministry of Education.
Employees who have been with the company for more than three years after graduating high school or with an associate degree can apply to the Samsung Electro-Mechanics internal university. Each year, 20 candidates are selected through document review, written exams, and interviews.
It is reported that there is a high level of interest among employees, with an annual competition ratio exceeding 6 to 1 and some applicants attempting to reapply.
Students at the internal university can focus on their studies without coming to the company three days a week during the semester and receive support for 80% of tuition, along with costs for textbooks and study rooms.
After completing a total of 130 credits over eight semesters in three years, graduates will receive an official bachelor's diploma from the president of Sungkyunkwan University.
Twenty first-generation graduates receiving an engineering bachelor's degree will be assigned to development and technical departments in various business units, where they can apply the materials and components theories they learned through practical experiences and undergraduate courses before enrollment.
The first graduate, Noh Tae-wan, said, "After graduating high school, it was my dream to go to college, and I was happy studying without regrets or desires."
Park Bong-soo, vice president of the Samsung Electro-Mechanics People Team, noted, "If we expand employees' perspectives and enhance their expertise, it will ultimately boost the company's competitiveness," adding, "We will continue to foster talent to strengthen the technological competitiveness of the manufacturing field."