South Gyeongsang Province is joining forces with local universities and auto parts companies to train field-ready talent for the future automobile industry and encourage young workers to settle in the region.
The provincial government held the 2026 South Gyeongsang Future Automobile Manufacturing Industry-Academia Forum on Friday at the Grand Mercure Ambassador in Changwon, organized by Gyeongsang National University's anchor project unit for future vehicles and robots. The forum built on an industry-academia council that launched in April, bringing together university research capacity, on-site demand from companies and policy support from local government to produce tangible industrial results.
At the forum, five provincial universities shared progress on their anchor projects alongside South Gyeongsang Province and South Gyeongsang Technopark's plans for industrial support. Twenty-two local auto parts companies, including CTR, reviewed their readiness for future vehicle technologies and held focused discussions on the direction of joint industry-academia research and talent development councils.
Field-oriented education at provincial universities is already translating into real hiring outcomes. Gyeongsang National University's anchor project unit has signed employment-linked agreements with 38 mid-sized and specialized companies, including Korea NSK, CTR and GMB Korea.
Through those agreements, one fourth-year student each secured a full-time position this year at CTR, Sail Industries and DMG Wongang Industries ahead of graduation. Participating companies are also considering additional hires through industry-academia partnerships in the second half of the year.
Specialized programs at individual universities are further boosting the rate at which young talent stays in the region: 20 graduates from Inje University and 22 from Masan University found jobs at local firms. Gyeongnam National University of Science and Technology trained 478 future automobile specialists, while Dongwon Institute of Technology recorded three joint industry-academia technology development projects and three technology transfers.
Gyeongsang National University carried out 15 joint industry-academia projects worth a combined 405 million won ($291,000), generating 10 technology transfers and attracting 150 million won in development funds. The university's anchor project will receive a total of 9 billion won over five years, starting with 1.8 billion won in the first year.
The province is also strengthening the talent pipeline running from high school through university to industry. Career exploration programs have reached 3,430 students at 32 provincial high schools, and hands-on training using vehicles donated by Hyundai Motor, Kia and KG Mobility has added a practical dimension to classroom learning.
"The core of the anchor project is universities and companies sharing the resources each needs and growing together," said Ha Jeong-su, head of South Gyeongsang Province's university cooperation division. "We will actively support future vehicle industry collaboration so that it leads to young people finding jobs and settling in the province."
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