A Research on Vocational Training Right for Social Integration

Abstract

This research analyzed on how Korea’s laws are defining an individual’s vocational training right, and how the regulations related to the actual vocational training right are managed. It also analyzed on how the foreign vocational training rights are defined, and reviewed on how those rights have been realized throughout vocational training policies and programs in other countries. Throughout those analysis, the research proposed a direction of legal/systematic adjustment in terms of social integration to improve the vocational training right. Same as the general education, vocational training plays an important role in improving the social equity, and the training that specifically targets those from the vulnerable groups needs to be improved. Reality, however, is that those from vulnerable groups tend to go through some difficulties participating in the training, and such difficulties are shown to vary among different vulnerable groups. For employees, aspects that need to be improved from the currently operating training environment are: providing relevant training programs to their occupation; adjusting the training programs’schedule so that it does not interfere with their working hours; providing consultation on the training programs; and supporting company’s substitute labor force. For the low-income groups, physically disabled, marriage immigrants and expatriates from North Korea, what appeared to be in need of support were a training course directly related to their occupation, information about the training, and individual supports. There are, in fact, some cases of paid-training leave in Korea that are stated in convention or recommendations of ILO as a measure of vindicating the individual vocational training right. Those are, however, not of obligatory procedure but optional choices made based on the companies’ intent, not being mindful of the rights of their employees, but instead merely posing as part of the training prepared by their employers. For the training for the unemployed, although a training course which an individual may select and apply for is being in progress, several problematic facts have been pointed out: there have not been a sufficient pool of information or opportunities for consultation that allows individuals to employ their right; and general consciousness on accountability regarding such right has not been firmly established yet. ...