A sch em e for im p rov in g lifelon g v ocation al an d ed u cation al train in g w ith red u ction of w orkin g
h ou rs
Re s e arc h e r in Ch arg e : E u ik y o o L e e Re s e arc h S t af f : H o n g g u e n Ch an g Y on g k o ok Jo o
1. Research Objectiv e
Throu gh the stages of economic development, there have been unceasin g efforts for reducin g the w orkin g hours alon g with encouragin g the in du stries an d increasin g the income level. Reducin g w orkin g hours had mainly targeted to secure w orkers' safety an d w elfare in the early stage of in du strialization, but today it entails for w orkers to ensure the qu ality of life an d take full advantage of their leisure time as productivity an d in du strial structure become highly advanced .
On October 23 2000, the Korean Trip artite Com m ittee (KTC) com p rised of rep resen tativ es from labor, m an agem en t an d govern m en t sectors fu n d am en tally com p rom ised on reduction of the legal w orkin g hours from the current 44 p er w eek to 40, an d the government is set to submit its own bill on five-day w orkw eek system to the N ational Assembly in Febru ary next year . When it comes to the implementation of reduction in w orkin g hours inclu din g five-day
w orkw eek system, how ever, there have been little stu dies that systematically analyze how to take full advantage of extra time in terms of life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g.
This research is focu sed on the five-day w orkw eek system, which will be executive in the near future, an d aims to provide policy su ggestions for expansion of life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g with the reduction in w orkin g hours by explorin g the current situations of night an d w eeken d educational trainin g at the institutes for life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g, cap acity an d w illin gness to provide the educational trainin g programs that correspon d to the reduction in w orkin g hours, an d survey on needs an d potentials of w orkers on the vocational an d educational trainin g with upcomin g w ork-hour reduction .
2. Research Contents
This research consists of five Chapters. Chapter I describes objectives an d methodology of this research, an d Chapter II provides theoretical discu ssions on w ork-hour reduction an d capacity buildin g inclu din g its socioeconomic influ ences. Chapter III overview s the current situ ations of vocational an d educational trainin g w ith w ork-hour reduction, an d Chapter IV provides su ggestions for exp ansion of life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g w ith the reduction in w orkin g hours follow ed by summary conclu sions in Chapter V.
3. Suggestions f or Expansion of Lif e-Long V ocational and Educational Training
This research provides basic directions in facilitatin g the life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g w ith w ork-hour reduction as follow in g:
first, exp ansion of w orkers-led educational trainin g; secon d, diversification of educational trainin g programs an d scope extension of assistances; third, expan din g opportunities for life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g to those who have been relatively alienated in the previous projects on capacity buildin g; fourth, exp ansion of information infrastructure for life-lon g educational trainin g; fifth, reinforcement of public aw areness on human cap acity buildin g throu gh life-lon g educational trainin g, an d on enhancin g the qu ality of life; sixth, expansion of trade unions' an d w orkers' participation in the projects of educational trainin g as w ell as stren gthenin g the p artnership betw een the labor an d the management.
Followin g these basic directions, major roles of three sectors (government, employers, an d trade unions/ w orkers) an d institutes for educational trainin g in order to expan d the life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g w ith w ork-hour reduction are as follow in g:
A. Government
First, expansion an d facilitation of incentive pay system for takin g trainin g courses, which is directly connected with the w ork-hour reduction an d facilitation of life-lon g educational trainin g. Present w orkers are required to in duce agreement from their employers in order to achieve such benefits of incentive pay for takin g trainin g course, but most of employers hesitate to grant the agreement. Un der these circumstances, Government should make efforts to ensure the viable implementation of incentive pay system for takin g trainin g courses.
Secon d, the scope extension of assistance for life-lon g educational trainin g an d the level of assistance require active discussions to pragmatize it. It is expected that the deman ds for less relevant programs to the current job w ill be expan ded an d such programs w ill increase
when the w ork-hour reduction is implemented, an d extra time durin g the w eek or the educational trainin g courses by w eeken d are facilitated .
Third, a systematic an d substantialized information infrastructure should be established . Once an information infrastructure of educational trainin g is set up, it w ill enhance the reasonableness in the process of choosin g the institute of educational trainin g an d courses thereby encouragin g the educational trainin g market.
Fourth, an early introduction of financial support system for w orkers' learnin g, which is currently un der discussion, an d its settlement are required in order to expan d trade unions' an d w orkers' participation in the projects of life-lon g educational trainin g.
Fifth, constant surveys, analysis an d stu dies are necessary about the influ ences of w ork-hour reduction onto the life-lon g educational trainin g, an d the results should be reflected to the future p olicy strategies an d implementations.
B. Employ ers
First, employers should make efforts to eliminate or address the various factors that prevent w orkers from participatin g in the cap acity buildin g as w ell as to generate the overall con ditions in order for w ork-hour reduction to contribute to the facilitation of educational trainin g.
Secon d, employers may enhance the w orkers' aw areness of educational trainin g in general an d increase the bu d get for educational trainin g. The small sized businesses to which supportin g capacity is not allow ed can publicize the supp ortive system such as incentive pay for takin g trainin g courses by employment insurance for their w orkers, an d guide them easily access the requisite pap ers an d certification procedures if necessary.
Third, employers should recognize the trade unions an d w orkers as
their p artners an d to encourage them to p articip ate in the human capacity buildin g. The outcomes of human capacity buildin g can be far more successful only when both trade unions, w orkers an d employers mutually recognize each other an d collaborate than the employers initiate it ex parte. In this vein, employers are expected to sw itch their min d an d aw areness.
C. Trade Unions an d Workers
Previously, trade unions an d w orkers have relatively shown passive approach tow ard life-lon g educational trainin g. How ever, as the society is rapidly shiftin g into a know ledge-information society an d the labor market becomes highly flexible, the significance of life-lon g educational trainin g is more increasin g, an d thu s it is in dispensible that w orkers best use of the w ork-hour reduction as an opp ortunity for self-development in terms of buildin g their own careers an d enhancin g the qu ality of life.
Trade unions can actively involve themselves in w orkers' life-lon g educational trainin g an d skills development thereby improvin g the employment con ditions.
Moreover, trade unions can take advantage of financial supp ort system for w orkers' learnin g, which is currently un der discussion, an d nourish w orkers' aw areness on educational trainin g.
D . Institutes f or Lif e-Long Educational Training
The development an d management of educational trainin g process should corresp on d to the deman ds of educational trainin g users. To do so, institutes for life-lon g educational trainin g can implement systematic research on the deman ds of either w orkers or the unemployed about
educational trainin g in extra time durin g the w eek or w eeken d courses, an d based on these results they may establish strategies for educational trainin g an d manage the institutes.
These institutes can also sp eedily provide u sers of educational trainin g with more accurate an d sufficient information on the characteristics of each institute or the contents of the educational trainin g programs.
Public institutes for educational trainin g should establish an d manage a center for capacity buildin g sponsored by relevant agencies for those non-regular w orkers who have been relatively isolated from the life-lon g vocational an d educational trainin g, an d the in digent class.
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