Gyeonggi Province to Support Unemployed Youth with Up to 300,000 Won for Exam Fees...Suwon City to Join in Second Half

[Suwon Ilbo = Park No-hun] Gyeonggi Province will implement the 'Gyeonggi Youth Capacity-Building Opportunity Support' project starting in May, providing financial support of up to 300,000 won for language and qualification exam fees to unemployed youth.

This project was designed as a campaign promise of the eighth popular election term to provide Gyeonggi Province youth with more equal opportunities to obtain qualifications and credentials.

In the first half of the year, 16 cities and counties including Yongin, Ansan, Anyang, Gimpo, Paju, Gwangju, Gwangmyeong, Hanam, Gunpo, Osan, Yangju, Uiwang, Pocheon, Gwacheon, Gapyeong, and Yeoncheon will first begin the exam fee support project.

The remaining 14 cities and counties, including Suwon City, will complete procedures such as establishing support grounds and budgets, and are scheduled to join the project in the second half of the year.

Youth in the 16 cities and counties (youth age according to each city and county ordinance) who are unemployed as of the exam date can apply through the Gyeonggi Job Foundation's integrated reception system.

The application period is from May 1 to June 30.

Support will be provided at actual cost for 19 types of language exams such as TOEIC, 544 types of national technical qualifications, and 95 types of nationally accredited private qualifications.

The maximum annual support per youth is 300,000 won, with up to 100,000 won per exam available over three occasions.

However, for youth who primarily take low-cost exams, exam fees for more than three tests can be supported within a total annual limit of 100,000 won, and support will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis until the project budget for each city and county is exhausted.

Exam fee payments will be processed sequentially from May to July following verification procedures.

Meanwhile, Gyeonggi Province is promoting three major youth opportunity package projects as representative youth policy initiatives for the eighth popular election term: 'Gyeonggi Youth Gap Year,' 'Gyeonggi Youth Ladder,' and 'Gyeonggi Youth Capacity-Building Opportunity Support.'

The 'Gyeonggi Youth Ladder,' which provides youth with overseas training experiences in countries such as the United States and Australia, completed participant applications on the 24th.

The 'Gyeonggi Youth Gap Year' project, in which youth form teams over 3-4 months to execute desired projects while making their dreams concrete, plans to recruit participants in May.