The vocational training school operated by LG Electronics in Ethiopia has produced its 10th graduating class. Since it opened in 2014, the cumulative number of graduates has risen to 679.
LG Electronics said on the 24th that it held the 10th graduation ceremony at the "LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School" in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, on the 22nd local time. The event was attended by Jeong Kang, Korea's ambassador to Ethiopia; Tschale Berecha, Ethiopia's Vice Minister of Labor and Skills; and Yoon Dae-sik, executive vice president in charge of external relations at LG Electronics.
The LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School is a technical education institution established by LG in cooperation with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Ethiopian government, and others. It is operated by LG Electronics and the international development nongovernmental organization (NGO) World Together. It opened in 2014 to support Ethiopia, the only African country that dispatched ground troops during the Korean War.
Each year, the school selects students through a written test and interview and provides free vocational education in the fields of electrical and electronics and information technology (IT). It also provides lunch and a shuttle bus.
This year's graduating class numbers 68. Since the school opened, the cumulative number of graduates has risen to 679. According to LG Electronics, the employment and startup rate of graduates is 100%, with graduates either getting jobs at IT corporations or starting businesses using the skills acquired during the program.
Outstanding graduates are also offered conversion-to-hire internships at LG Electronics' Middle East Africa service subsidiary. Students who hope to start a business can receive practical training and mentoring in law, marketing, and business management through the on-campus startup support center.
Among this year's graduates are twin siblings who are grandchildren of Korean War veteran Temam Abdul Ali. The two completed training in the IT and network fields and are aiming to become, respectively, a network engineer and an IT entrepreneur.
The LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School was introduced in June at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Évian, France, as a best practice of Korea's official development assistance (ODA). In 2020, it was selected by the Ethiopian government as an exemplary case of a vocational training school.
Abenezer Tewelde, representing the graduates, said, "Based on the skills and expertise in electronics that I learned at the Hope Vocational Training School, I will work toward my dream of becoming an engineer."
Yoon Dae-sik, executive vice president in charge of external relations at LG Electronics, said, "We have provided opportunities for self-reliance to Ethiopian youth and have seen meaningful outcomes for 10 years," adding, "We will continue to help young people around the world pursue their dreams and become self-reliant."