○ Incheon Port Authority unveiled plans to proactively create jobs at Incheon Port in 2022.

○ On March 27th, Incheon Port Authority (www.icpa.or.kr, President Choi Jun-wook) announced that it created 2,076 jobs at the Incheon Port, exceeding the target of 1,960 last year by 5.8%. IPA will continue to promote support projects that create career-building, quality jobs for the vulnerable this year.

○ In order to provide inclusive jobs in connection with the port industry last year, IPA organized job creation projects such as company matching at vocational high school job fairs and nurturing young talented professionals through employment-linked programs. As a result, the effort created 15 public-sector jobs, as well as 1,440 direct and 621 indirect* private-sector jobs.

* Indirect jobs are derived by applying the Bank of Korea employment coefficient for construction projects.

○ In particular, IPA conducted a variety of activities last year to provide quality jobs to prospective graduates of vocational high schools in the Incheon area and to support their employment capabilities. Recruitment sessions visited each school to provide students with opportunities to explore career paths in the maritime, port, and logistics fields and helped them conduct mock interviews with AI. As a result, 49 vocational high school students successfully secured jobs through online job fairs held in collaboration with eight related institutions, including the City of Incheon.

○ This year, IPA plans to focus on job and startup support projects by target, such as vocational high school students, youth, the middle-aged, and seniors, to create high-quality jobs that reflect the needs of the port industry. In addition, IPA plans to secure a driving force for job creation through collaboration with businesses, organizations, local governments, and local schools. It will also offer linked support to nurture a professional workforce in each field and match them with jobs.

○ First, IPA will train cruise tourism professionals with Incheon Tourism Organization to support youth employment and create jobs in the maritime tourism industry. To this end, IPA provides hands-on practices onboard and corporate internship opportunities that take into account the internal and external circumstances such as COVID-19.

○ In addition, to practically aid the middle-aged re-employment in the logistics field, IPA will continue to operate the license program for operating forklifts (at least three tons) this year. The program is a collaborative effort with the Korea Labor and Employment Service and the Korea Port Training Institute Incheon. It supports adaptation to the logistics field and provides employment linkage for trainees, and 13 participants acquired the license last year, six of whom were successfully hired.

○ Moreover, IPA is organizing various projects, including Youth Startup Hackathon in collaboration with Busan, Ulsan, Yeosu, and Gwangyang Port Authorities to discover and foster startup companies; Incheon Port Do-Dream for startup companies; Once Again at Incheon Port to support startups that begin anew; and Scale-Up, which provides spaces and demonstration environments to support the growth of promising startups.

○ On the other hand, IPA is also providing support for employment stability and capacity building of small and medium enterprises that cooperate with Incheon Port, which are suffering from the prolonged COVID-19 situation. First, it will create and operate a win-win fund of KRW 8 billion, offer Tomorrow Deduction to induce long-term tenure of outstanding workers, and enhance the working environment and rest spaces for the workers.

○ “We will actively listen to the voices of the port industry and work with relevant organizations to create better jobs,” said Ahn Gil-seop, ESG Management Director of Incheon Port Authority. “IPA will do our best to create more jobs for the vulnerable in the local community and enhance the quality of jobs in the port and logistics fields,” he explained.

○ On the other hand, IPA received a commendation from the Presidential Jobs Commission at the 2021 Korea Job Merit Award Ceremony in December last year. IPA was recognized for its contribution to creating customized jobs for the vulnerable in the local community who are struggling under the COVID-19 situation and training specialized professionals in the Port of Incheon.

Attachment

Incheon Port Authority’s Job Support Project Schedule in 2022

※ Photo caption (attached)

= 2021 Korea Job Merit Award (second from the left is Ahn Gil-seop, ESG Management Director, Incheon Port Authority) / Photo courtesy of Incheon Port Authority