I have received many benefits from my country. I want to continue such opportunities for others and give back [to] society. I think the system where the older generation continues to foster the next generation is very meaningful and rewarding. That is why I do it.
Passing skills onto the next generation
As the home of worldwide industry heavyweights like Samsung, Korea is a buzzing hub of innovation and knowledge. These organizations are more and more keen to attract skilled young people. That’s where GIFTS comes in. That’s Korea’s Global Institution For Transferring Skills. It’s a pioneering training network that captures the country’s spirit of giving back, by bringing experts together to pass their knowledge onto enthusiastic aspiring learners.
Korea’s national investment in skills has delivered many WorldSkills Champions and as a result the country has amassed homegrown alumni and Experts with valuable insight to impart. They pass this on through GIFTS. Located in Incheon, GIFTS was the first WorldSkills Capacity Building Centre to launch and the core principle at its heart is “learn it; share it.”
- 176 students and teachers can be hosted at GIFTS training center at any one time.
- Between 2005 and 2022, guests from 80 countries have visited the center.
The GIFTS programme is razor-focused on practical, industry-boosting training, with students learning disciplines like Welding, Machinery, and Electronic Technology. But the focus is also on building well-rounded, happy individuals set up to contribute positively to tomorrow’s workforce, so core values like respect, sincerity, commitment, and teamwork are equally central to the curriculum.
Korea’s skills-sharing support doesn’t stop at its own borders; it turns outwards, too. From working with Namibia to deliver a WorldSkills Africa Competition in Swakopmund, to the ongoing Korea Skills Transfer for Aspiring Regions (KSTAR) programme which has partnered with Costa Rica, Mongolia, Colombia, Namibia, and Zambia.
For those studying from home but not wanting to miss out, technology is on hand. GIFTS’ YouTube channel features videos offering skills advice and expert insight in languages from Mongolian and Spanish to Azerbaijani. By bringing more countries into the fold, GIFTS is creating a groundswell of international talent to service the urgent needs of the future.