Equality of Opportunity in Education and Training - Government Programmes - Korea

Affirmative Action for Female College Graduates

The government has encouraged both public and private sectors to introduce a 50% quota system for women in their internship programmes and public works for computerization to expose female graduates to work experience and hence increase their future employment prospects.

Affirmative action in Public Vocational Training Institutes

Female applicants for traineeships in public vocational training institutes are given bonus points of up to 10% in order to increase the representation of women trainees. Women with higher education degrees are given preference in the selection process. The institutes also offer a wider variety of courses that will appeal to women as well, such as interior design, jewellery craft-making and computer animation. In particular, ten public vocational institutes offer special training courses on CAD and CAM for 600 trainees. The courses have flexible timetables and provide nursing facilities to increase the participation of women with household duties. Over seventy social organisations, such as the Ehwa Women’s University Social Welfare Centre, Korea Elderly Welfare Association and Working Women’s Centres offer short-term retraining courses in 18 occupations.

Occupational Training

There are three main training sources in Korea. Training under public or government sponsorship, training by and within business/industrial establishments and training by officially recognised private institutions. The Government intends to expand the scope of its training activities for women by 30% by 2005.

In 1991, the Government established the Ansung Technical College for Women tp provide high-level skills training for women. The two-year junior college offers courses in machine design, micro-measurements, information technology, electronics design and operation, fashion design and jewellery crafts.

In 1993, the Government began establishing special training facilities to reintegrate married women into the labour market and accord them access to education to acquire high-level skills. Training is provided in areas such as computer technology. By 1997, there were 17 such facilities.

Women's Welfare Centres

The Government established these women's welfare centres to provide women from low-income backgrounds with training in small business management and job skills, as well as cultural programmes.