South Korea: Work experience

UK graduates will experience difficulty in finding work experience or short-term opportunities beyond either teaching English or work with voluntary organisations. Approaching multinational companies operating in Korea while still in the UK may provide opportunities.

Work placements and exchange programmes 

Youth and UNESCO Korea  runs a series of events, including the International Youth Camp. This conference brings together youth from all over the world for ten days in Korea. The aim is to learn and share ideas surrounding a particular theme. It can provide a networking opportunity, as well as a useful introduction to South Korea. UNESCO also provides international volunteering opportunities in South Korea.

The AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales)  is a student-run organisation that offers students work placements and exchange schemes in over 100 different countries, including South Korea. The aim is to help people gain leadership skills and professional experience.

Teaching schemes

The government in South Korea supports the teaching of English and it is one of the main areas of work open to UK graduates. If applying for a teaching position, check that all terms and conditions of employment are clearly stated before accepting an offer and signing a contract. Research the institution or company you are interested in thoroughly and, where possible, speak to other teachers working there before accepting any offer. It is not possible to obtain a visa to teach English in South Korea without a three-year university degree - a TEFL qualification alone is not enough.

Volunteering

Voluntary opportunities are available, for example:

• Intercultural Youth Exchange (ICYE)  - voluntary work placements in South Korea. They are usually focused on social institutions for the disabled, orphanages, women’s projects, youth organisations and day-care centres. There are also a number of placements connected with teaching and/or clerical work in English.
• Volunteers for Peace  - projects in South Korea include construction/renovation, historic preservation, archaeology, environmental projects, wildlife surveying, park maintenance, organic farming, social services, drug/alcohol recovery, AIDS education, arts projects and festivals.

Casual work and short-term opportunities

It is uncommon for UK graduates to obtain casual work and there are very few short-term opportunities for non-Korean nationals.

Gap year opportunities

English language teaching is not possible for gap years during or before a degree, as there is a requirement to have completed three years higher education study in order to teach. It is, however, a real possibility for those who have graduated.