Hanwha finds substitute for staff without degrees

Entry-level employees participate in a job training. Provided by the company

Hanwha Group said yesterday it will create a college for its employees who lack university diplomas.

Hanwha was the first conglomerate that started to hire high school graduates as regular workers in the country.

In a country where over 65 percent of people hold a college diploma, businesses lowering entry barriers for job seekers comes as a significant shift.

Last week, the group was approved by the Ministry of Employment and Labor to run a college from March.

자료사진

The college will comprise five departments including trade, finance, architecture, business management and another dealing with on-the-job training. Each department can accommodate up to 40 students, and each course will run for three years.

The group will pick 160 students from 549 entry-level employees without diplomas who were hired in June. Another 40 will be plucked from longer-term employees.

After completing their courses, the employees will receive the same promotional incentives afforded to employees who graduated from regular colleges, the group said.

The college will be located at the group’s training center in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi. “We are helping the underprivileged to overcome their disadvantages by giving them practical help,” said Chung Ha-young, senior vice-president of the group. “It is also part of our efforts to cooperate with the government under the slogans of ‘open employment’ and ‘ability first.’?”

“I’m excited that I don’t need to enroll in a university as my company is offering me such a good college course,” said Kim Hyun-myung, 19.

By Song Su-hyun [ssh@joongang.co.kr]