Gyeonggi Province Launches Comprehensive Mid-Career Support Policies: 'Jobs to Health for Life's Second Act'

[Suwon Ilbo = Reporter Park No-hoon] Gyeonggi Province will establish a Mid-Career Employment Support Center to strengthen dedicated job support functions for mid-career workers and create approximately 3,600 jobs through expanded Gyeonggi-type social employment. The province will also strengthen various welfare policies for those in their 50s and 60s, including mental health support to address conflicts, depression, and relationship issues experienced by mid-career populations.

Lee Byung-woo, Director of the Welfare Department of Gyeonggi Province, held a press conference at Gyeonggi Provincial Government building on the 22nd and announced 'Gyeonggi Province's Mid-Career Support Plan' encompassing these measures.
Director Lee stated, "As of 2019, the mid-career population in Gyeonggi Province aged 50 to under 65 is 3.06 million, accounting for approximately 23.1% of the province's total population. These individuals have been previously perceived as the 'working generation' and were neglected in life-cycle-specific welfare support policies. The province aims to provide comprehensive support tailored to mid-career workers' needs across various sectors including not only employment but also education and welfare," explaining the background for the support initiative.

The province plans to pursue 25 projects across four sectors—▲employment ▲education ▲welfare ▲support system establishment—under the vision of 'Supporting Vibrant, Healthy, and Successful Lives for Mid-Career Workers.'

First, the province will support jobs tailored to age-specific demands by categorizing them into economic employment focused on income and employment for social value realization.
The (tentatively named) Mid-Career Employment Support Center to be established at the Gyeonggi Foundation for Employment will strengthen dedicated re-employment support functions for mid-career workers. The center will expand and provide diverse services including one-stop services from career planning to vocational training and employment/entrepreneurship support, discovery of quality jobs, and corporate job network operations.
Additionally, the province will expand Gyeonggi-type social employment to create approximately 3,600 jobs. For this purpose, the province plans to recruit 'Life-Cycle Growth Support Groups' and provide childcare support for hospitalized children and commute assistance for young children, educational support for youth, and employment support services such as debate interview techniques and workplace adaptation counseling for young adults.
The province also plans to operate 'Learning Social Contribution Groups' where Gyeonggi Province Living Skills School graduates provide living skills services such as interior finishing and tile work to vulnerable populations, and 'Career-Tailored Social Contribution Groups' that match mid-career workers with social employment based on their careers and needs.

Second, the province will support lifelong education for mid-career workers. The province plans to establish a diverse lifelong learning system including specialized vocational education linked to employment, living skills education, self-realization-oriented general literacy education, and online education. In particular, the province will designate universities within the province with adequate human resources and facilities as (tentatively named) 'Gyeonggi Province Mid-Career Encore University' to provide high-quality diverse specialized lifelong education programs.

Third, the province will provide comprehensive welfare services including health management for healthy retirement in later years, mental health support, and leisure activity support for mid-career workers. For mid-career workers who find it difficult to manage health due to economic activities, the province will provide health management services such as nutrition, health, and exercise counseling using a mobile healthcare platform. In particular, the province plans to provide professional psychological counseling and diverse programs to effectively manage conflicts, depression, and stress experienced by mid-career populations in family and social relationships after retirement.

Fourth, the province will create dedicated complex spaces by type and region where mid-career workers can actively participate and communicate. The (tentatively named) Mid-Career Nori-Teo, a complex space linked to entrepreneurship, will reduce the burden of starting a business by providing entrepreneurial space and supporting consultation. The space will also be freely utilized with diverse concepts including education, exercise, performances, and exhibitions. The (tentatively named) Gyeonggi Province Mid-Career Encore University, in addition to providing educational programs, will be utilized as a hub for mid-career activities providing comprehensive services including intergenerational convergence programs bringing together youth and mid-career workers, university-specialized projects, and small group activity support.

Director Lee Byung-woo of the Welfare Department stated, "Gyeonggi Province will serve as a compass for mid-career workers who have diligently lived their first act and are now embarking on a new beginning at this turning point in life. We will serve as Gyeonggi Province's reliable support force so that a healthy, happy, and successful second act of life can be realized through comprehensive support policies."