[Sejong = E-Daily Reporter Cho Min-Jung ] “The gap with large corporations is so wide that whenever I hear about the salaries or performance bonuses at Samsung Electronics or SK Hynix, I feel a sense of relative deprivation.” (Young person A, employed at an SME)

Young people working at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) said that every time they hear recent news about performance bonuses at large corporations, they are acutely aware of the reality that the gap between them and large corporations is widening. SMEs outside the Seoul metropolitan area unanimously agreed that, due to the difficulty in recruiting young workers, government policies—such as support for housing deposits and transportation costs—are needed in addition to wages.

According to the Economic, Social, and Labor Council on the 15th, the Youth Employment Hope Committee held its third Youth Roundtable on the 14th at “Ara,” located in the Pungse General Industrial Complex in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. At this roundtable, young employees of SMEs and HR managers participated to discuss ways to improve jobs at SMEs and secure young talent.

While acknowledging that young people can gain career experience by handling a variety of tasks at SMEs, they noted that due to the significant wage gap with large corporations, tangible support—such as housing subsidies and housing assistance—is needed in addition to wages. They also emphasized that changing jobs within the SME sector should not be viewed negatively. Youth B, currently employed at an SME, explained, “Gaining experience at other companies or in different industries can also help build one’s career.”

Regarding regional industrial complexes, concerns were raised about the difficulty of commuting via public transportation, highlighting the need for transportation cost support. The young people expressed the view that programs similar to the transportation cost support for youth in industrial complexes—which had been implemented in the past—should be reinstated.

HR managers emphasized that it is difficult for regional SMEs to secure skilled professionals and young talent because it takes a significant amount of time and money for new hires to develop the necessary job competencies. Even when job postings are published, the number of applicants is low due to the company’s location in South Chungcheong Province, and it requires considerable cost and effort to retain employees who have been hired with great difficulty. Although industry-academia collaboration projects—such as IPP (long-term on-the-job training) and contract majors—have been promoted between universities and SMEs, many of these initiatives remain one-off efforts.

Consequently, companies have noted the possibility that, as they adopt artificial intelligence (AI), there will be a growing trend toward hiring experienced professionals rather than new graduates. HR manager C explained, “As AI advances rapidly, it may be more efficient for companies to hire experienced professionals who can utilize AI rather than recruiting new graduates and training them,” adding, “This shift will be particularly evident in administrative and office roles.”

Professor Yoon Ja-young of Chungnam National University said, “While it is necessary to view young people’s job changes as part of the career-building process, securing and retaining young talent in small and medium-sized enterprises requires more detailed and effective support that takes into account the location conditions of regional industrial complexes.”

Based on the opinions presented at this roundtable, the Economic and Social Council plans to use them as a basis for future committee discussions on tasks aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises secure young talent and improve job quality. The 4th Youth Roundtable plans to continue listening to the voices of local youth on the ground.