Iumgil HR, a company specializing in outplacement consulting and corporate training, has partnered with the Seoul 50 Plus Foundation to launch a practical career transition consultant training program for middle-aged professionals.
The two organizations announced on the 30th that they will open a "Practical Career Transition Consultant Training Program" as part of the 2026 Mid-Career Employment Academy job training courses. The program targets Seoul residents aged 40 to 64 who hold vocational counselor certifications, providing support from training through job placement.
The Mid-Career Employment Academy is a Seoul-model employment support platform that opened in February this year, offering step-by-step job training through exploration, intensive, and regular courses along with job matching services. The newly launched program aims to systematically train career transition consultants who help retirees and those seeking career changes. Career transition consultants perform duties including career assessment, career path design, job search strategy development, and employment placement. Demand for specialized professionals in this field is growing rapidly as outplacement service demand from corporations and public institutions increases.
The training runs for a total of 24 sessions over 96 hours from April 20 to June 24. The first-stage practical theory course covers outplacement service processes, mid-career hiring market trends, life and retirement asset planning, change management, and resume and interview consulting using artificial intelligence (AI).
The second-stage practicum builds hands-on competencies through life planning consulting, one-on-one job application document feedback, interview simulations, topic-based role-playing, expert supervision, and lecture demonstrations with evaluations. In the third-stage field experience, participants directly perform career transition consultant roles through on-site consulting practicums and training program operation support. Iumgil HR has incorporated field expertise into the curriculum based on its track record of providing outplacement services to more than 600 companies and approximately 60,000 individuals.
After completion, job placement support is also provided. Iumgil HR plans to facilitate graduates' entry into roles such as career transition consultants, vocational counselors, outplacement program managers, and training institution instructors, taking into account each graduate's residence, competencies, and preferred working conditions. The proposed compensation is reportedly 2 million to 3 million won per month for full-time positions and approximately 50,000 won per hour for part-time work. The Seoul 50 Plus Foundation will handle post-program support, including assigning employment coordinators to provide individual counseling.
The program is recruiting 30 participants, with online applications accepted through the Seoul 50 Plus Jobs Portal until 5 p.m. on the 10th of next month. Applicants must be Seoul residents aged 40 to 64 holding a vocational counselor certification (Level 1 or Level 2). Tuition is fully free.
"Demand for outplacement services from corporations and public institutions is growing rapidly, but there is a shortage of practitioners who can work in the field immediately," said Kim Ki-wan, CEO of Iumgil HR. "Through this program, we will produce career transition consultants equipped with both qualifications and practical skills."
"Many people have certifications but struggle to enter the field in practice," said Moon Hye-ran, director of the Seoul 50 Plus Western Campus Center. "We will build a practical employment training model that takes responsibility from education through hiring."
