[Provided by Korea Human Resources Development Service]
[Provided by Korea Human Resources Development Service]

Small and medium-sized enterprises have used a government-backed workforce consulting program to raise productivity and introduce AI-driven work automation — with one company rolling out a four-and-a-half-day workweek as a result.

The Korea Human Resources Development Service held its "Dedicated Workforce Development Consultant Best Practice Competition" Thursday at the Boko Myeongdong Grand Hall in Seoul, announcing five outstanding training consulting cases selected to showcase how the program supports business growth. The dedicated workforce development consultant program — known informally as the "workforce doctor" service — is a human resources development initiative that diagnoses the training needs of small and medium-sized enterprises struggling with vocational training and connects them with tailored programs.

The agency has operated the program since 2023. This year, 330 consultants provided customized training consulting to more than 12,000 companies through July. The service covers AI-assisted training program development and performance analysis, as well as business improvement recommendations linked to government policy information.

Five small and medium-sized enterprises were named outstanding cases at this year's competition: Ihwa Techone, CoAsia Semi, Taehwa Industries, Probal and Habdong Electronics Industry. Each company participated as a team alongside a regional branch of the agency, going through document screening and presentation reviews.

Taehwa Industries had been struggling with delivery delays, rising defect rates, declining work efficiency and growing inventory as its production environment changed rapidly. A consultant from the agency's South Gyeongsang Province branch conducted a step-by-step diagnosis of on-site problems and connected the company with a range of support — including a capability development clinic, employer-led in-house training, structured on-the-job training and AI job skills training.

The training raised employees' skill levels and problem-solving capabilities, pushing per-worker output from 35.9 to 50. The company also established an AI-centered learning culture and a medium- to long-term AI training roadmap, laying the groundwork for an AI transformation.

Probal offers a case study in linking AI work automation to improvements in working conditions. The company had expanded facility investment in smart factory construction and research and development, but productivity gains had not kept pace with the investment, and the firm was also struggling to recruit new workers.

After receiving consulting from a workforce doctor at the agency's western Gyeonggi Province branch, Probal shifted its human resources strategy from hiring-focused to developing existing staff. The company worked to strengthen employees' AI capabilities and built a production automation system that staff could operate independently. As a result, internal employees' work performance improved by 37.5%, and by cutting inefficient tasks the company introduced a four-and-a-half-day workweek starting in May.

The dedicated workforce development consultant program supports companies across the full cycle — from customized vocational training consultations and business diagnostics to training program development and performance analysis. The agency also runs a "capability development clinic" that provides close support for up to three years to help companies build their own in-house vocational skills development systems.

"We hope that through the diverse outstanding cases from this competition, more small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to work with dedicated workforce development consultants," said Lee Byong-hoon, president of the Korea Human Resources Development Service. "We will continue to work to provide the capability development services that industry needs."


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