Updated
Updated · asiae.co.kr · Jun 9
University Graduates' Job-Prep Costs Hit 4.55 Million Won, Doubling in 3 Years
Updated
Updated · asiae.co.kr · Jun 9

University Graduates' Job-Prep Costs Hit 4.55 Million Won, Doubling in 3 Years

1 articles · Updated · asiae.co.kr · Jun 9

Summary

  • 4.55 million won was the average annual private job-preparation cost for university graduates last year, according to a JobKorea survey of 485 respondents released by the Education Spring Foundation.
  • 2.27 million won in 2022 has climbed to 4.55 million won in three years, implying roughly 200,000 won more in monthly spending on job preparation.
  • 64.9% spent on major-related certifications, 56.7% on English tests such as TOEIC, and smaller shares on non-major certificates, IT skills and resume or self-introduction editing.
  • 71.1% said they faced financial difficulties during their job search, and 73.8% said they worked part-time while preparing for employment.
  • The foundation said the surge shows a fast-rising economic burden and called for regular government surveys and policy responses on private employment-education costs.

Insights

With job prep costs doubling, are Korean graduates investing in skills or just paying to compete in a broken hiring system?
How are US trade policies and North Korean cyber threats secretly reshaping the skills needed for a job in South Korea?