Trends and challenges of vocational education and training in Korea

Abstract

Korea has achieved a rapid economic development from 1960’s to 1980’s, which is widely known as ‘the miracle of Han river’. It is a surprising fact that a country, ruined by the war in the early 1950’s, grew into world’s thirteenth country in terms of GDP in 2006 (Kim et al., 2007). Since 1960’s, the structures of industries and jobs have greatly changed from primary industries to tertiary ones through rapid industrialization. In this change, the importance of good human resources has brought relief for Korea to overcome the issue of lacking natural resources and enabled it to invest intensively in Vocational Education and Training (VET) (Huh, 2007). Korea has been able to promote the development of light industry in 1960’s, heavy industry in 1970-80’s, and up-to-date technology industries since 1990’s. Also, VET has provided an equal education for all the people by providing with a way to acquire technology and achieve success (Lee, 2004).