재직근로자의 노동시장에서 학교로의 이행 촉진을 위한 기업 : 고등교육기관의 실태분석 및 개선방안(Ⅰ)

Abstract

평생학습시대의 도래에도 불구하고 우리나라의 평생학습 참여율은 OECD 국가들 중에서도 저조한 편이며, 특히 직업능력개발을 위한 평생학습 참여는 더욱 저조한 상황이다. 직업능력개발을 위한 평생학습참여의 저조는 재직근로자의 직업훈련참여의 저조를 의미하며, 재직근로자가 학교, 즉 정규 및 비정규 교육기관으로 복귀할 순환교육체제의 미비를 반영한다고 볼 수 있다. 현재 우리나라는 대학과 기업이 재직근로자의 학교로의 이행을 촉진할 수 있는 주요한 제도적 인프라와 지원체제를 갖추고 있지 못하며, 기업의 경우도 지원하기 힘든 실정이다. 본 연구는 재직근로자의 노동시장에서 학교로의 이행 활성화 방안 연구의 첫 단계로서 노동시장에서 학교로의 이행을 구성하는 제도들을 살펴보고 이에 대한 개선 방을 제시하고자 하였다. 특히 대학, 기억에서의 재직근로자의 재교육 지원제도들을 살펴보고, 이러한 지원제도들이 어느 정도 실제로 활성화되고 있는지를 대학과 기업의 재직근로자 이행지원에 관한 실태조사를 통해 알아보았으며, 해외의 주요 지원제도들도 살펴보고 이를 종합한 후 대학, 기업, 개인의 측면에서 각각 개선 방안을 제시하였다.

Continuous learning became an imperative to the individual, society, industry, and to the state, with the advent of lifelong learning society posed by globalization, technological changes and changes in the labour markets, and ageing of the society. However, in spite of the growing importance of continuous learning after graduation from school and transition into the labor markets, the system is not fully ready for providing opportunities for the individual to return to school. Participation in continuous education and training is very low in general, compared to other OECD member countries, and participation in work-related continuous education and training is even lower. Low rate of participation in continuous education and training reflects low rate of participation in training among workers. It also reflects that institutions supporting transitions from work to school are not fully developed. This study focuses upon colleges and industries as two major institutions playing an important role in transition from work to school, more specifically, transition from work to college for workers employed in industries. Colleges are important as an institution providing a venue for workers returning to college. However, it should transform into a more than a physical venue that can provide real opportunities for workers to participate in college-provided training. Historically, development of lifelong-learning system of a country has been made possible with transformation of traditional colleges, whose major role was providing education for students in their school ages, into lifelong learning institutions which provide education to people at all ages. Industries are another major institution in work-to-college transition of workers, since workers can not participate in school-provided education and training without supports from employers. A major proportion of industries in Korea are small-and-medium sized companies(SMEs). This makes it difficult for workers to go back to college to learn since the employers in SMEs do not have additional workers at work to replace workers participating in off-the-job formal education. Nor do they have money to hire substitute workers. The types of programs provided at colleges do not meet the skill needs of industries, which is another reason employers do not want to support participation of workers in college-provided courses. This study reviews existing practices and programs for colleges and industries to support and encourage participation of workers in education provided by colleges. The study also surveys the cases of foreign colleges universities where participation of workers in college-provided education and training is high. Major focus of this study lies in two surveys, which were implemented to collect data for this study. The one is a survey on the entire population of colleges and universities in Korea. This study surveys 400 higher educational institutions in Korea including junior colleges, Polytechnic Colleges, Polytechnic Universities, cyber colleges in Korea. The survey reviews implementation of major practices at the college to support participation of workers and adult learners in the college-provided programs, and the extent of degree those programs and practices are activated. The other survey is taken on a sample of 1,000 industries. This survey reviews the on-and off-the job training programs provided and activated by industries, and the opportunities provided by the industry to support workers to go back to school, such as the paid-leave system to support participation in off-the-job training and the financial supports to pay for the tuition at the B.A,, M.A,, and Ph.D programs, both domestic and abroad. The survey also checks how many industries are actually providing training opportunities for workers in association with colleges. In conclusion, this study reveals the major problems with the current system at colleges and industries in supporting transitions of workers back to college, drawing upon the result of the surveys, and the facts taken from the review of existing work-to-college practices and programs supported by colleges, industries, and governments. The study provides suggestions to improve the current work-to-transition system from the viewpoint of three major institutions, college, industry, government. Building up and improving work-to-college transition system for workers takes more than reengineering the institutions and administrative practices at colleges and industries. However, changes of colleges and industries to attract and allow for increased participation of workers in education provided at colleges are certainly urgent policy issues that should be considered seriously at this point to consolidate lifelong learning system for the knowledge-based economy.