Finding employment is a difficult problem for college students, and building up qualifications for it is also considered a big concern. Various employment policies are being implemented, but for Donggukians who are still facing a stark job market where both employment and turnover are difficult, Dongguk University provides a company-linked semester Industry Professional Practice (IPP). It is for Donggukians who need to prepare for employment, but the Dongguk Post suggests that lower grades (freshman and sophomore) to gain information in advance and prepare for these programs early. The Dongguk Post investigates the purpose and necessity of the field training program and finds out what is needed to participate.
About the IPP program: the Purpose, the Effects, and the Grades
A “Long-term IPP” refers to a “corporate-associated long-term Industry Professional Practice” that requires the industry to conduct field training for one semester and receive major credits during the field training semester in order to improve the problems of the shortterm IPP. Instead of taking traditional classroom courses, trainees commute to and from companies and experience practical work in the field. This enhances the job competitiveness of students who undergo on-the-job training directly at the recruitment site, and provides great help in designing specific and practical career paths. Therefore, the school aims to present long-term IPP as a new type of industry-academic cooperation education program model that enables practical field training.
Participating in IPP can clarify career choices through field experience and strengthen major and employment competencies. Moreover, since participants receive an IPP salary, they can use it for tuition or expenses. Additionally, they can fill the credits that may be insufficient by supporting schools to take IPP-only seasonal semesters. The school has the advantage of resolving talent discrepancies between companies and universities by cultivating fieldoriented practical talents. Furthermore, cultivating creative talents can positively improve the university’s reputation and establish active exchange relationships between companies and universities.
Attendance for grades will be acknowledged only if all training hours are fulfilled. A total of three credits can be earned based on 20 days of attendance, excluding legal holidays and monthly holidays. In the case of semester-based field training, 40% of the attendance score, 30% of the evaluation score of the training institution, and 30% of the evaluation of the professor in charge are combined to give a grade pass only when the score is higher than 60. However, students cannot give up onthe-job training courses midway, and opting out results in receiving an F.
Let us listen to the review of the IPP
Kang Jung-mo (Department of Business Administration 21), a participant in the IPP program, shared his perspective on the program, highlighting its advantages and challenges. According to him, the program offers two benefits: 1) participants can earn income while fulfilling their credit requirements, and 2) the structured work schedule during vacations helps students stay active and engaged. He also acknowledged the variation in experiences across different companies but emphasized the valuable business exposure gained through each practical tasks. On the other hand, he mentioned some considerable difficulties and stresses from having to work and social relationships. Regarding the IPP program, he told “I think it can appeal to the Donggukians who want to fill their credits quickly or who are bored with repeated college life with new experiences.” He emphasized that the program is an extraordinary opportunity for young individuals to have work experience, especially in the current challenging employment landscape. Moreover, there were many reviews for IPP that internship experience was relatively easy and served as an opportunity to explore career paths and improve major competencies.
So far, we have looked into the purpose and evaluation method of IPP programs, which offer students a chance to gain practical experience at a lower competition rate than other internship programs. Most participants recommend it since the IPP program is able to give participating students financial, learning, and experiential benefits. Through the IPP system, the Dongguk Post expects that our university’s students could be able to prepare for employment easily by improving their practical skills and setting career paths in their major fields. More detailed information on employment start-up competency at our university is provided on the IPP project group’s website, offering additional insights. The Dongguk Post hopes that Donggukians find such valuable systems and use them to solve various challenge.