Korea Labor Foundation, Industrial Safety Foundation sign MOU to support middle-aged job seekers

The Korea Labor Foundation and the Industrial Safety Mutual Aid Foundation have joined forces to support the safe re-employment of middle-aged workers and promote a culture of industrial safety.

The Korea Labor Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Industrial Safety Mutual Aid Foundation on Monday at its headquarters in Mapo-gu, Seoul, aimed at helping middle-aged prospective workers enter the workforce safely and spreading industrial safety culture.

The agreement is designed to ensure that middle-aged workers preparing to change jobs or careers can receive the safety guidelines and preventive education they need before entering industrial worksites. The two organizations agreed to cooperate on creating safer working environments and promoting a culture of accident prevention.

Under the MOU, the two organizations plan to jointly pursue: industrial safety and preventive education support for middle-aged prospective workers; safety education and consulting support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); fiscal project and infrastructure cooperation to raise safety standards at SMEs; and the broader promotion of industrial safety culture.

The Korea Labor Foundation will add industrial safety coursework to the career design, job skills, digital competency and employment support services it currently provides through its nationwide network of Middle-Aged Tomorrow Centers, expanding the scope of support available. With safety growing increasingly important at industrial worksites, the foundation said it will focus on improving middle-aged workers' on-site adaptability and employment stability.

"Strengthening safety competencies is just as important as job skills for middle-aged workers settling into new positions," Korea Labor Foundation Secretary General Park Jong-pil said. "We will provide on-site-focused education that people can feel in their daily lives and expand cooperation to spread a culture of safety."

Industrial Safety Mutual Aid Foundation Chairman Ahn Kyung-duk said he hoped the agreement would serve as an opportunity to identify safety-vulnerable SMEs in local communities. "We look forward to seeing meaningful educational connections made for middle-aged workers who wish to pursue careers in industrial safety," he said.