Gyeonggi Province 'Connecting Jobs' Program Competition Ratio 6.9-to-1...Participating Companies Up 3.2-fold Year-over-Year

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] The competition ratio for participating company selection in the 'Gyeonggi Province Connecting Jobs Program' led by Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Jobs Foundation reached 6.9-to-1, showing a 3.2-fold increase in applications compared to the previous year.

The 'Gyeonggi Province Connecting Jobs Program' is an initiative that matches SMEs in the province with middle-aged and older job seekers, providing reemployment opportunities so that mid-career workers can transition to full-time employment after an internship period.

The Gyeonggi Jobs Foundation recruited SMEs within the province seeking to provide connecting jobs starting next January until the 12th of this month.

457 companies applied for 1,375 connecting job positions, showing a competition ratio of 6.9:1 against the projected 200 matching positions.

This represents a 3.2-fold increase in applying companies compared to the previous year (142 companies, 365 positions), and the application fields have diversified from the previous focus on manufacturing production roles to include technical positions such as machinery-related jobs and transportation sectors.

Final selection results will undergo screening until the 19th and will be announced on the Gyeonggi Jobs Foundation website (www.gjf.or.kr) on the 23rd.

The foundation made multifaceted efforts to encourage active company participation and promote the connecting jobs initiative, including pre-event meetings with related organizations and on-site business briefing sessions.

Through preliminary meetings with the Small and Medium Business Administration, industrial promotion institutes under cities within the province, and chambers of commerce, the foundation discussed collaboration methods for encouraging participation with 21 organizations.

Additionally, 'on-site business briefing sessions' were held by region—southwest area (Suwon), northwest area (Goyang), and southeast area (Gwangju)—conducting face-to-face promotion to 67 companies.

Je Yun-kyung, CEO of the Gyeonggi Jobs Foundation, stated, "The high level of interest in this program reflects the result of increased hiring difficulties for companies in the province due to COVID-19 and growing social demand for middle-aged and older worker hiring," adding, "Through deliberation on measures to maintain mid-career employment, we will actively support resolving job mismatches between SMEs' hiring needs and middle-aged job seekers' employment opportunities in the province."

Recruitment of connecting job program participants seeking employment at finally selected companies will commence on the 25th. Participants will be matched following the company's hiring procedures, undergo a 3-month internship, and receive an opportunity to transition to full-time employment.

Application eligibility is open to residents of Gyeonggi Province aged 40 and above but under 65 who are unemployed.

However, participation may be restricted for those currently participating in direct job creation programs from other government departments or the National Employment Support System, those holding business registration certificates, and special employment form workers.

The foundation plans to conduct pre-job competency training (OJT) for selected connecting job candidates to strengthen job competencies, and will support job-related training for selected companies to encourage employment retention of connecting job workers.

For detailed information on the program and participant recruitment, contact the Gyeonggi Jobs Foundation's Mid-Career and Older Worker Jobs Center at 031-270-6680.