Seoul's Yongsan-gu district is launching a free construction skills training program as demand for specialized workers surges amid the development of an international business district and large-scale redevelopment projects across the area.
The program covers three vocational tracks — wallpapering, tiling and carpentry — all in high demand at construction sites. Rather than focusing solely on certification, the courses are designed to be hands-on so graduates can step directly onto job sites upon completion.
Applications are open through Aug. 12 to unemployed residents registered in Yongsan-gu. Applicants may apply in person at the Job Plus Center on the first floor of the district office with a valid ID, or submit their application by email.
Application forms are available on the Yongsan-gu website under the notices and announcements section. Each of the three tracks will accept 10 participants, for a total of 30 spots, with final selections made through interviews. Applicants may apply for only one track.
Training begins Aug. 25 with a mandatory basic construction safety and health course, followed by the individual tracks starting in sequence from late August.
The detailed schedule is as follows: the wallpapering technician course runs from Aug. 27 to Oct. 2, the carpentry technician course from Sept. 1 to Oct. 8, and the tiling technician course from Sept. 10 to Oct. 7. The wallpapering and carpentry courses each run 25 sessions totaling 200 hours, while the tiling course runs 17 sessions totaling 136 hours.
All courses run weekdays from 9 a.m., eight hours a day. After completing classroom instruction, participants will also have the opportunity to practice on-site at homes of low-income residents in need of repairs, giving trainees intensive, real-world experience in a short period.
Tuition is fully covered at no cost to participants. However, individuals are responsible for purchasing their own tools.
Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Gyeong-dae said the program was designed to match the district's circumstances as a major redevelopment zone, giving residents a concrete path into construction jobs. "We hope this vocational training will be a real help to unemployed young people and middle-aged residents who want to build a future where they can work without worrying about retirement," Kim said.
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