Mr. A (58 years old) maintained his livelihood with a short-term part-time job after retiring from his job in his early 50s. He received counseling at a nearby Employment Welfare Plus (+) Center, harboring a desire to challenge himself for re-employment in a regular position before turning 60. He participated in a recruitment briefing for Seoul city village bus drivers through this introduction and obtained a Class 1 large vehicle driver's license and bus driving qualifications. After gaining work experience for three months at a bus company in B, he was hired as a regular employee at a village bus company in C.
Along with the youth, the low employment rate of those in their 50s is emerging as a problem. According to the Statistics Korea employment trends, the employment rate for those in their 50s has been declining for 12 consecutive months from April of last year to March of this year. The Ministry of Employment and Labor noted on the 15th that it has unveiled plans to strengthen employment support for those in their 50s to address this issue.
First, the government decided to analyze and announce tailored job opportunities for those in their 50s on a quarterly and regional basis. The Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training is recommending re-employment jobs suitable for those in their 50s, including air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics, air conditioning and refrigeration industry professionals, elevator mechanics, energy management specialists, and electricians.
They also decided to strengthen vocational training. The Ministry of Employment and Labor will expand specialized courses for middle-aged job seekers at Korea Polytechnic University. The number of participants will increase from the current 2,800 to 7,500, and specialized training courses in electrical construction and air conditioning equipment will be established. Weekend and evening courses will also be operated for those wishing to remain employed or change jobs.
They will also expand opportunities for gaining work experience. For those in their 50s wishing to change jobs to other occupations, the scale of the project that supports building career experience in the field will increase from the existing 910 to 2,000. Those participating in this program will receive up to 1.5 million won per month, and participating corporations will receive up to 400,000 won for a maximum of three months.
To match such jobs and support policies smoothly with the desired re-employment of those in their 50s, they decided to operate the 'Midlife Employment Network.' Employment Welfare Plus Centers, local job centers, regional universities, polytechnics, and women's employment centers located in each region will all participate, connecting customized programs for the middle-aged. For example, the Ministry of Employment and Labor, Seoul City, the Seoul 50 Plus Foundation, and the village bus association are set to pilot a manpower matching project for job openings, such as village buses, for those aged 50 and over this year, and are reviewing the implementation of the main project next year.
Vice Minister Kim Min-seok stated, 'As 9.54 million individuals from the second baby boomer generation in their 50s are approaching large-scale retirement, employment support policies for them are very important,' and emphasized, 'We will continue to strengthen comprehensive customized services.'