KOTRA launches field training for non-metropolitan engineering students

KOTRA is operating a six-month industry-academic cooperation field training program in Seoul to develop technical-trade convergence talent. Selected twice a year, engineering students from non-metropolitan areas will support export tasks in sectors such as semiconductors, shipbuilding, and mobility.

A path has opened for engineering students from non-metropolitan areas to simultaneously experience technical knowledge and global trade practices. KOTRA is operating an "industry-academic cooperation field training" program for engineering students from non-metropolitan areas to foster "technical-trade convergence talent" possessing both technical and trade capabilities.

This program reported by KOTRA is designed so that students can directly apply their major knowledge to global business sites rather than being limited to simple office assistance. Trainees participate in practical export support tasks, such as identifying trends in major industrial sectors including mobility, shipbuilding, aviation, semiconductors, bio, and medical fields, and discovering domestic companies that meet the demands of overseas buyers. KOTRA is a public institution that operates more than 129 overseas trade centers in approximately 80 countries to support the export and overseas expansion of Korean small and medium-sized enterprises as well as attracting foreign investment.

Customized practical work by industry... from materials/parts/equipment supply chains to export consultation meetings

Field trainees perform differentiated tasks depending on the nature of each team. Trainees assigned to teams related to materials, parts, and equipment (materials/parts/equipment) participate in global supply chain stabilization support projects. They play roles such as monitoring supply chain fluctuations by collecting weekly inventory and usage levels of urea solution from companies, or helping domestic companies respond to policy changes by identifying semiconductor industry trends. In particular, they perform monitoring duties to identify early on issues or policy changes related to materials/parts/equipment items to help domestic companies respond quickly.

The site of consultation meetings, the front line of export support, is also a major stage for training. Trainees belonging to the materials/parts/equipment team are deployed to the sites of domestic export consultation meetings held at locations such as EXCO in Daegu to support smooth meetings between domestic companies and overseas buyers. They also experience overall business management, such as promoting projects linked with global completed vehicle companies and responding to inquiring companies. At the sites of "Export Voucher Korea," a representative project of KOTRA, trainees can also experience practical work helping to connect overseas buyers with domestic companies.

Trainees in charge of the GP business collect and match data on suitable domestic companies based on the cooperation demands of global companies identified by overseas trade centers. Trainees in the machinery, electricity, and electronics fields identify domestic companies for global partnering projects related to manufacturing in Algeria, while trainees in the shipbuilding and marine sectors learn practical work, such as sending guidance emails and making calls to domestic companies for projects to be conducted in Malaysia and Vietnam. In this process, trainees directly receive information on major industry trends in mobility, shipbuilding, aviation, semiconductors, bio, and medical fields from industry managers.

"Applying major knowledge to exports"... experiences leading to employment portfolios

Students participating in the training emphasized the utility gained from the link between their majors and trade work. Lee Ju-yeong, a trainee in the machinery, electricity, and electronics field, said, "Since one must understand what processes and materials the parts requested by buyers are made of, it is a good opportunity to immediately use the major knowledge learned at school in the new field of export."

A trainee majoring in computer science connected the technical achievements gained during the work process to job preparation. He stated, "I personally developed a program to automate the daily news monitoring task, and this experience was a great help in writing my employment portfolio. I was able to learn by asking industry managers about things I did not know."

Another trainee mentioned the importance of practical experience, saying, "The fact that I am affiliated with somewhere and experiencing company life as a student will definitely be helpful for company life later."

Selected twice a year, 6-month training at Seoul headquarters

KOTRA field training selects trainees twice a year (first and second half), and selected students undergo training at the KOTRA headquarters in Seoul for six months. This program targets engineering students from non-metropolitan areas and aims to nurture talent equipped with both technical and trade capabilities.

The application period for the first half of 2027 trainees closes on November 12.

Source: KOTRA TV (YouTube)