To cultivate skilled professionals who can adapt to the environmental and intelligent transformation of the shipbuilding industry, Gunsan City in North Jeolla Province, South Korea, launched a free training program at the Jeonbuk Human Resources Development Institute starting June 25. All unemployed individuals are eligible to apply, with the program covering all costs, including training, materials, textbooks, lunch, and shuttle bus services. Notably, trainees with an attendance rate exceeding 80% will also receive a monthly stipend of 200,000 KRW (approximately 1,040 RMB).
The global shipbuilding industry is undergoing profound changes. With increasing demand for eco-friendly vessels, there is a broad market for innovative technologies, particularly the accelerated adoption of cutting-edge solutions like automated equipment and industrial robots. This has intensified the need for highly skilled professionals.
Gunsan City stated that this training program is designed to promptly address the evolving demands of the shipbuilding sector by preparing customized, job-ready talent. The initiative aims to integrate skills training with employment opportunities, laying the foundation for the growth of the regional shipbuilding ecosystem.
Specifically, the program has been restructured to align with the needs of local shipbuilders, moving beyond the previous focus on specialized welding. New courses include advanced training for obtaining American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) certification, automation equipment courses to address digital transformation in shipbuilding, and marine equipment design, application, and assembly courses.
The specialized welding advanced course, which began on June 25, focuses on achieving ABS welding certification, emphasizing internationally standardized welding techniques and high-efficiency Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) certification.
The automation equipment course combines specialized training with programming and control technologies for automated systems.
Starting in the second half of this year, the marine equipment design and assembly courses will focus on digital skills, such as creating 2D drawings using CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing) and assembling components via 3D modeling software. Priority enrollment will be given to recent vocational high school graduates to quickly integrate new talent into the shipbuilding workforce.
A Gunsan City official remarked, “To sustain the growth of the regional shipbuilding industry, cultivating skilled professionals who can adapt to rapid industrial changes is more critical than ever. Moving forward, we will continue efforts to enhance the competitiveness of local industries and expand stable employment opportunities.”
Amid labor shortages driven by the shipbuilding industry’s “super cycle,” major South Korean shipbuilding regions have recently rolled out financial support initiatives. Earlier this year, Gunsan City was selected for the “North Jeolla Shipbuilding Industry Worker Hope Reduction Project” by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, securing 530 million KRW (approximately 2.67 million RMB) in subsidies, including national and provincial funding. This project aims to retain skilled workers in shipyards by reducing turnover and improving productivity.
Under the program, the government, local governments, subcontractors, and workers each contribute 2 million KRW. After two years, workers receive four times their contribution—8 million KRW (approximately 40,255 RMB). Accordingly, the government, local governments, and subcontractors collectively provide 6 million KRW (approximately 30,200 RMB) per worker over two years.
