The Ministry of Defense offers on-base examinations for 82 kinds of national certifications to assist service members acquire the certificates. (image: ROK Army 72nd Infantry Division)
SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — As self-development activities using smartphones and a variety of assistance programs are becoming a new trend in the military, many service members said they prefer to study for IT-related certificates.
The Defense Media Agency conducted a survey of 854 service members on October 27, asking them about what kind of certificate they would like to study for.
The most popular option (118 people, 13.8 percent) was to study for IT Processor certificates, followed by certificates related to computer use (94 people, 11 percent).
“Soldiers in charge of administrative or communications work have a significant advantage in acquiring IT Processor certificates,” said ROK Army Pfc. Kim Jin-hwan.
“The certificate can work as an advantage when applying for a job, and the military rewards those who succeed in acquiring a certificate during military service.”
Certificates for cooks, forklift drivers, and others have also been mentioned by many service members.
“I am studying to acquire a certificate for management of hazardous materials, based on what I’ve learned as ammunition manager in the military,” said ROK Marine Corps Cpl. Lee Seon-jun based on Yeonpyeong Island in Gyeonggi Province.
The Ministry of Defense offers on-base examinations for 82 kinds of national certifications to assist service members acquire the certificates.
The government exempts application fees for service members and provides subsidies for self-development to help 20,000 discharged service members return to society every year.
The use of cellphones in all military bases, effective since April 1, has been driving the trend of self-development among service members, the agency said.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
