Osan Mayor Cho Yongho: "We'll Ease Young People's Job-Seeking Burden and Build Confidence to Try Again"

Osan City: "Easing the burden of job preparation and helping young people try again" with tailored support
Support ranges from counseling for young people who have given up job hunting to interview suit rentals and photo costs
Up to KRW 300,000 a year for certification exam fees... plus links to internships and regular jobs

Osan City in Gyeonggi Province is offering step-by-step support to help young people who have given up looking for work try again, prepare for interviews, earn certifications, and find jobs. The initiative aims to reduce the costs of preparing for employment and help young people who have lost confidence after a prolonged job search get back into the workforce.

Osan Mayor Cho Yongho meets with young people to hear about the challenges they face in preparing for employment and their views on youth support policies. Courtesy of Osan City.

Osan City (Mayor Cho Yongho) said it is implementing employment support programs tailored to young people’s job-search situations, including the Youth Challenge Support Program, the Youth Interview Success Package, and support for certification exam fees.

Osan Mayor Cho Yongho said, “The financial burden and psychological challenges people face during a job search are considerable. It is especially important to give young people who have been unable to find work for a long time the confidence and opportunity to try again.”

The Youth Challenge Support Program is for young people who have stopped looking for work, young people preparing for independent living, and young people entering or leaving youth welfare facilities. The target for this year is 104 participants. The program offers one-on-one counseling, case management, confidence-building, career exploration, and training to strengthen employment skills.

The program is divided into short-term courses lasting five weeks, intermediate courses lasting 15 weeks, and long-term courses lasting 25 weeks or more. Participation allowances are KRW 500,000 for the short-term course, KRW 1.5 million for the intermediate course, and KRW 2.5 million for the long-term course. Participants in the intermediate and long-term courses may also receive additional incentives worth KRW 200,000 to KRW 500,000 if they meet certain requirements related to course completion, job-seeking activities, and employment or starting a business.

Young people preparing for job interviews can receive support for suit rentals and photo-taking expenses. The Youth Interview Success Package, for job seekers aged 19 to 39 who live in Osan, provides support from interview preparation through follow-up services.

Interview consulting and the employment academy “Oh My Job” help participants improve their ability to handle real-world interview situations. Participants can also borrow a suit for interviews free of charge up to five times a year, for three nights and four days per rental. The program covers up to KRW 30,000 each for resume photo-taking and hair and makeup expenses. After the interview, follow-up services include congratulatory messages for successful applicants and information about additional job opportunities.

The city also provides opportunities to earn certifications and gain practical experience. Through the Gyeonggi Youth Competency-Building Opportunity Support Program, jointly run with Gyeonggi Province, the city covers fees for language tests, national technical qualification exams, and other certification exams for unemployed young people, up to KRW 300,000 per person annually.

Osan Mayor Cho Yongho (center) speaks with young people about youth policies at the "Mobile Mayor's Office" event held at the Irujob Youth Employment Support Center on Sept. 29. Photo provided by Osan City.

The Youth Intern Job Program helps young people gain practical experience in local public services. The city also operates a university student job program for 100 students aged 18 to 29, offering opportunities to gain work experience in tourism, welfare, and education at public institutions and their affiliated organizations on weekends and during summer and winter breaks.

In partnership with the Osan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the city supports local small and medium-sized businesses in hiring young people as regular employees. Eligible employers are companies with at least five but fewer than 50 employees, and eligible applicants are unemployed young people. Companies that hire young people as regular employees receive a KRW 3 million hiring incentive.

The city also offers support for young people seeking to settle in the agricultural sector. Young farmers aged 19 to 39 who live in Osan and have been independently managing a farm for no more than three years can receive a farming settlement grant of up to KRW 1.1 million per month for up to three years.

Mayor Cho Yongho said, “It is important for the community to work together to support young people’s challenges as they prepare for employment, rather than leaving them to face those challenges alone. We will reduce the burden of preparing for employment through policies tailored to each young person’s job-search situation and needs, and support them so they can plan for the future with confidence.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.