Ulsan Industrial High School to become region-focused vocational school

Ulsan Industrial High School has been selected for the Ministry of Education's "contract-type specialized high school" program under the theme of training talent in AI smart manufacturing, and will be reorganized as a specialized high school beginning next year to recruit incoming students.

The contract-type specialized high school program aims to provide community-rooted vocational education by bringing together local governments, education offices, universities, companies and individual schools to form a cooperative body. The partnership develops curricula tailored to regional industry needs, with the goal of connecting graduates to employment and long-term settlement in the area.

Ulsan Industrial High School applied to the Ministry of Education's program in line with Ulsan's policy of becoming an "AI capital," with a focus on training skilled workers in AI-based smart manufacturing technology.

Over the next five years, the school will receive a total of 6.5 billion won ($4.22 million) — 4.5 billion won from the Ministry of Education and 1 billion won each from Ulsan city and the education office. The funding will support a restructuring into four AI-oriented manufacturing departments: smart electrical and electronics, smart construction, chemical and energy, and smart machinery, with the aim of training technical talent that meets industry demand.

The school is expected to serve as a hub for regional talent education by partnering with a total of 67 organizations — including Ulsan City Hall, five district and county offices, 49 companies including HD Hyundai Heavy, eight related institutions and two local universities. Through these partnerships, the school will run programs covering regional talent development tailored to local needs, academic collaboration with local universities, company-linked employment, and support for graduates to settle in the region.

The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education plans to link the contract-type specialized high school with its education development zone, vocational education innovation district and the Regional Innovation-centered University Support System (RISE) project, in preparation for growing demand for industrial workers following Ulsan's designation as an opportunity development special zone. The office also plans to make use of the Ulsan Vocational Education Complex Center — established in 2024 as the first of its kind in the country — and to create synergies by connecting the school with the city's high school graduate employment initiatives.

Superintendent of Education Cheon Chang-su said: "The Ulsan Metropolitan Office of Education will work closely with the city, universities and businesses to support Ulsan Industrial High School in becoming a region-specialized vocational school that nurtures the talent the community needs."