Gyeongbuk College of Science lifelong education center holds completion ceremony for 2026 child-care worker training program

The lifelong education center at Gyeongbuk College of Science held a completion ceremony Wednesday for its 2026 standard child-care worker training program at the college's lifelong learning room.

The standard training program comprised 120 hours in total — 100 hours of theory and 20 hours of hands-on practice — and ran intensively from Sept. 1 through Wednesday, with sessions of up to eight hours per day.

All 21 participants successfully completed the full program after undergoing strict attendance checks and assessments in both theory and practical skills.

This year, the center produced a total of 51 trained professionals, including 30 from an abbreviated course and the 21 from the standard program. It also successfully completed continuing education for 156 existing child-care workers in the Yeongju, Bonghwa and Uljin areas.

The college has secured a team of qualified instructors from both on and off campus and signed field-practice agreements with leading local child-care centers to deliver systematic, practice-oriented education.

In a further development for the profession, the relevant certification system has been elevated to a national qualification under the title "child-care worker," allowing graduates to work across a broader range of professional care roles once they obtain the credential.

Seo Il-bo, director of the lifelong education center, said it was meaningful to be producing core care workers who help fill gaps in family caregiving and support the healthy development of children in the region. "We will continue to train trusted care professionals for the community through a high-quality curriculum," he said.