Korea's PoliTech colleges to recruit 5,590 trainees for 2027 vocational courses

Korea Polytechnics will recruit 5,590 trainees for its 2027 vocational training courses, the labor ministry said Monday, opening applications from Nov. 1 through mid-March at 201 departments across 39 campuses nationwide.

Tuition is free for every course, and trainees receive a training allowance. The courses are organized by life stage: technical training for anyone aged 15 or older, high-tech training for those 39 and under, and a program for people 40 and over preparing a second career.

The technical training course, the largest of the three, will take 2,390 trainees aged 15 and above, regardless of academic background or work experience. It runs 10 months and teaches skills matched to local industry demand.

Kim Song-kyung, 32, joined the automobile department at the Chungju campus this year after seven years as a web designer in Seoul, a career that broke off when she married and moved to the city. She is aiming for a job at the same automotive battery company where her husband works. "I will earn at least two certifications and start a new career in Chungju," she said.

The high-tech course, which will select 2,100 people, is for unemployed people and experienced workers aged 39 or younger who hold at least an associate degree. Over 10 months it concentrates on advanced skills in new industries such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence and robotics.

Seo Sang-won, 38, entered the cloud security department at the Daejeon campus to switch careers after studying business administration and working at an airline's overseas office. He earned seven credentials, including the information security engineer license, and joined an information security company.

The program for people aged 40 and over runs four months and is designed for those seeking re-employment or a new direction. It will take 1,500 trainees in two rounds, one in each half of the year.

Shin Yong-sik, 42, who served 24 years as a Marine Corps noncommissioned officer, earned an electrician's license in the electrical department at the Pohang campus. Combining his military facilities-management experience with electrical skills, he was rehired last month into an electrical post at the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Organization.

Among people who completed the technical and high-tech courses as of February 2026, 74.4 percent found work, and 89.1 percent of those were still employed after a set period, the ministry said. The rate for the over-40 program reached 64.8 percent. Details of the recruitment are available on the Korea Polytechnics website.