The Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority is expanding its industrial site experience program for Meister high school students.
The authority signed a three-way memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Busan Regional Office of SMEs and Startups and Busan Machinery Technical High School at its headquarters on Wednesday to jointly promote the "Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone (BJFEZ) Insight Trip," it said Thursday.
The agreement focuses on expanding the "BJFEZ Insight Trip," previously operated mainly for university students, into a career exploration program for local technical talent. The key is to help Meister high school students design careers linked to their majors by directly touring industrial sites, related institutions and leading companies within the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone.
The Insight Trip is a field experience program that includes visits to the BJFEZ promotion center, major development districts, resident companies and related institutions. Customized schedules are operated around the economic zone's four strategic industries — ports and logistics, smart transportation, advanced materials, parts and equipment, and bio-health — tailored to participating students' majors.
Response from education sites has also been positive. From October last year to June this year, 290 participants from eight educational institutions took part in 10 programs, recording a satisfaction score of 4.8 out of 5. This year, participation has expanded to high schools including Busan Information High School and Geoje Technical High School, drawing increasing interest from technical high schools.
Under the agreement, Busan Machinery Technical High School students will participate in customized Insight Trips two to three times a year starting in August. The economic zone authority will handle program operation and company-institution linkage, while the Busan Regional Office of SMEs and Startups will support the discovery of leading materials, parts, and equipment and manufacturing companies in the Busan and South Gyeongsang region and expand the pool of companies for tours. Busan Machinery Technical High School will be responsible for selecting participating students, safety management, and career and employment guidance.
In particular, the strong connection between Busan Machinery Technical High School, which cultivates manufacturing-based technical talent, and companies in the materials, parts, equipment, and smart transportation sectors within the BJFEZ is expected to help nurture talent tailored to local industry.
"We will strengthen cooperation with relevant institutions so that the BJFEZ Insight Trip can establish itself as a leading field experience program connecting local talent with companies," said Park Sung-ho, head of the economic zone authority. "I hope it becomes an opportunity for local technical talent to directly experience industrial sites, confirm their growth potential, and design their future careers."
