[vol.10] Feature_ HOW CAN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING BE EXPANDED?
WORKING WOMAN 2008. 3. 20. 11:14-
Need for the policy for establishing women's job training
- Augmenting female-separate job training institutions
Augmenting these institutions are By Dool-soon, Kim (Research) needed. Firstly, in our reality, men and women are differently socialized with different levels of perception toward machinery. This means that basic but delicate teaching methods are needed for women. Secondly, negative social image toward job training institutions remains until now that only men attend these institutions and the environment is as harsh as that in the military, and that only delinquent kids go there.
Not only women themselves, but also school teachers and parents would not want to send their children to these institutions. Thirdly, through founding women separate institutions, we can see the positive effects on expanding women's participation in employment, involvement in broader range of jobs and involvement in male-centered industries.
- Introducing quota system for women in the nationwide public job training institutions
Addition to the expansion of female separate job training centers, policies to promote women's participation in co-ed institutions should be provided. A quota system is inevitable to encourage women to have job training in the patriarchal society.
- Increasing the number of female teachers
In order to increase the number of female teachers in the job training center, the female preferential policy is definitely needed until gender balance amongst teachers can be achieved.
- Investment to improve the quality of job training
More investment should be put for the provision of quality job training than the qualitative expansion of these institutions.
- Investment expansion for obtaining high quality of teachers
"Having excellent equipment doesn't guarantee producing high-level human powers. In the Park regime, our salaries were higher than those of professors at junior colleges. Now, ours are lower than those of teachers at engineering high school. That's why teachers here are looking for chances to get out of here." (interviewee: a teacher with a 13 year career of a public job training center)
Although it would be hard to provide a better working condition compared to the general education institutions. It is desperately needed that similar levels of working conditions should be provided. Also, at the level of the approved job training centers, supports from the government but also the institutional supplementation such as same treatment for teachers and those who have similar qualifications are needed. Further, chance to re-education should be given to them.
- Upgrading equipment and providing facilities for women at job training centers
Another demand is to upgrade the quality of equipment in the training center. It is necessary of budget and annual selection of the institutions which are to be developed. For example, the existing period since the foundation of job training centers, the lack of facilities for female workers, the maintenance of competitive power amongst job training centers in the same area, the specialties of the trainees should be considered.
In the case of public job training centers, facilities for women (e.g. toilets, dormitories etc.) are especially in shortage. To facilitate application of married women for training, child-care facilities should be provided as the government already plan.
Job training institutions are trying to change internally. The change should be publicized by mass media such as TV, radio and newspaper for the public to be eligible for that.
- Investment expansion for obtaining high quality of teachers
- Eliminating gender-balanced perspective
Many cases show that technicians are produced socially not innately. Women have equal capabilities of undertaking same jobs to men.
"At first, when I didn't have any knowledge in electronic circuit. I was very scared. However, when I got to know about electricity by principle, I am not scared any more. I become bold."(student of a public job training center during the interview in Sep. 1993)
- It is necessary to develop courses and to expand supports to private job training centers including approved job institutions, 'House for working women' and short-term training centers for married women.
- It is needed to establish companies' environment in which graduates from job training centers are treated equally to those having qualifications admitted by the government.
- Scientific studies should be continued as to job training and demands and needs of applicants for job training as well as the effect on changes in job segregation between genders after employment.
- Strategies improvement for promoting the employment of the graduates from job training institutions.
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Need for intimate work relationship among Offices of Labor, public companies and self-governing group to promote and monitor employment of graduates.
- Need for different policies in intercession of employment in public institutions
Although 100% employment rate is shown at the time of just completing training courses, it is reality that many job transfers occur. In the process of employment, job training centers should provide a variety of information and timing opportunities to promote active participation of students in finding jobs.
- Need for establishing management system after employment
The cooperation between job training institutions, students and companies to solve problems occurring after the employment of students. However, at this present level, while management policy is commonly established in public institutions, the establishment is very little in approved job training institutions and companies' job training centers.
Different institutions show much different employment rates. In order to solve this problem, close work relationship is needed amongst various groups involved.
- Need for different policies in intercession of employment in public institutions
- Plan for the expansion of job training for women in companies
Taking into consideration the effect of New Human Power policy on the labor market, it is necessary for trade unions to take more interest in job training and to secure it through collective agreement. Especially, time for job training and education, and rights to paid leave for the training should be secured in the agreement. Through obtaining these articles in the collective agreement, trade unions should put more advertisement of job training to the union members for its expansion.
It is desperately needed to set up policies for women's job training both in long and short terms. The implementation and establishment of the policy should become realized in the following directions:
"At first, when I didn't have any knowledge in electronic circuit. I was very scared. However, when I got to know about electricity by principle, I am not scared any more."
Demand of the government's direct intervention
We are facing the exclusion of 90% female workers from companies providing job training programmes and the gender segregation in the labour market. In this sense, it is very difficult to expect the implementation of training for women into the high and multi-functional work level. Job training for women should be provided by public job training institutions. Let's look at the following details:
Those who have belief of women's capability should be devisers and implementers of the structure for implementing the job training policy. This structure should work with close networking with job training institutions.