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The Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education has expanded its so-called Gyeonggi Apprenticeship High Schools to 24 institutions. The program allows vocational high school students to receive one-on-one apprenticeship training at companies, recently drawing attention as a model for "barrier-breaking education" that connects schools with local communities.
Reporter Choi Ho-won has the story.
[Reporter]
Bundang Aram High School in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
Students from the Communication Design Department are sketching new book covers across various genres.
Since 2022, teachers at this school have recruited local companies and sent students there to gain practical work experience.
It is the so-called Gyeonggi Apprenticeship High School program, which connects industry professionals with students.
[Park Hyun-hee / Teacher at Bundang Aram High School: We have 42 students in the third year of the Communication Design Department, and 20 of them are participating in the apprenticeship program. These 20 students are receiving training at around 15 companies.]
Since last June, the Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education has expanded the number of apprenticeship high schools in the province from 20 to 24.
This company, which operates an IT content platform, is also providing practical training to students. Recently, unexpected results have emerged as students have complemented their lack of design skills with artificial intelligence, or AI.
[Lee Byung-jin / CEO of N-Fine: When we actually ran tests, they adapted much better than expected, and added their own creative ideas to it, so the company actually gained unexpected results.]
While traditional field training is conducted during the third year before graduation, apprenticeship schools allow students to experience the field starting from their second year, which also helps them find their aptitude.
The provincial office of education is paying attention to the apprenticeship school model as one form of "barrier-breaking education" where local communities and schools join hands.
[Park Jong-hoon / Educational Researcher, Career and Vocational Education Division, Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education: The Gyeonggi Apprenticeship High School holds great significance in that schools and companies join hands to nurture future talent in the region.]
The provincial office of education plans to designate four additional schools next year, operating a total of 28 apprenticeship high schools with 44 courses.
(Video by: Jang Woon-seok, Footage provided by: Gyeonggi Provincial Office of Education)
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