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Industry-Linked Talent Development! 2025 Busan Waterloo-Style Co-Op Program Revamped – Recruitment of Universities and Companies Begins April 14

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The Busan Metropolitan City Government, in partnership with the Busan Economic Promotion Agency (BEPA), announced a major update to the 2025 Busan Waterloo-Style Co-Op Program, aimed at fostering field-ready talent and strengthening employment links between local universities and businesses.

This program, modeled after the University of Waterloo’s cooperative education system in Canada, is a localized field training initiative that connects outstanding third- and fourth-year students from local universities with companies in strategic and emerging industries in Busan. The goal is to cultivate practical talent who can be immediately hired upon graduation through an alternating cycle of academic study and hands-on training.

Key Updates for 2025:

◈ Reflecting feedback from both universities and companies, the program now permits seasonal semester participation in addition to the regular academic year, allowing for flexible short- and long-term training schedules.

◈ The application and recruitment period has been moved forward by one month to give students more time to understand the participating companies and job roles before interviews.

◈ A total of four or more universities will be selected through a public application process, and eligible students will be matched with companies discovered by BEPA for up to six months of field training per academic year.

Participating companies will receive financial support, including:

• ●KRW 1 million per student per month for on-the-job training support

• ●Up to KRW 10 million per company for student-involved project assignments

• ●KRW 150,000 per month in mentoring allowances for designated company mentors

Universities and companies wishing to participate must submit applications by email to coop@bepa.kr:

• ●Universities: April 14 (Mon) – April 25 (Fri), 4:00 PM

• ●Companies: April 14 (Mon) – May 16 (Fri), 4:00 PM

For further information, visit the BEPA website (www.bepa.kr) or call 051-600-1383. A video guide and application instructions are available online.

To enhance understanding of the program, on-site consultation sessions will also be held at interested universities, offering tailored guidance and Q&A.

Kim Gwi-ok, Director of the Busan Youth & Industry-Academia Cooperation Bureau, stated:

“Since its launch in 2023, this program has achieved visible results such as increased student participation, more company involvement, and better employment outcomes. We hope it continues to help students discover the strengths of local companies and build practical skills for stable careers in the region.”