Admission to IT Education School Is More Difficult Than Employment!

`X`: Currently enrolled in the Ph. D program in the physics department at Seoul National University

`Y`: Graduate of computer engineering department at Ewha Women’s University. Currently working at a computer company

`Z`: Graduate of Injae University. Lecturer at the computer school

`W`: Graduate of computer software department at Joongang University. 7 years of work experience at computation office

This may look like the list of candidates at an IT company. But, this is not the list of prospected employees at an IT company. This is the list of those who failed the entrance exam of the BIT education Center. 395 people out of total 476, who applied to the IT education center, failed the exam. The ratio of competition was 5.9:1. How would these people, who failed the exam despite their ‘prominent’ school backgrounds and work experiences, feel?

The number of IT education center applicants is increasing. The number of applicants to BIT education Center increased 33% (from 1309 -January through April of last year- to 1744 of the same period this year).

- People who applied three times: Without mentioning the difficulty of employment at IT industry, it is difficult even to enter the IT education institutes. The ratio of admission competition at the LG-EDS Soft School ranges 5:1 through 10:1. For the case of Ssangyong Information IT education center, the ratio increased from 5:1 to 8:1. Those who try twice or three times to enter the education center, waiting for two to three months, are not uncommon. For instance, `A` (33), after graduation from the information & management department at a four-year college, worked at a middle-sized IT company and resigned. After the third try, he finally entered BIT education Center. `B` (34), graduate of computation department at Hanyang University, failed the exam once and reapplied after completing two-month basic education program, in spite of his first level certificate in data processing. He finally entered BIT education center.

The intensity of IT education surpasses that of senior high school students who prepare for the college entrance exam. Class continues from 8 am till 10 pm, and staying overnight for study is not unusual.

- Reason why highly qualified people come to IT education center: `B` said, `After six years of work at the computation office in a well-established construction company, I started an internet business with my school senior and failed. I decided to pursue a continuing education because no company hired me when I applied for the job.` `A` resigned the company to find a job which will secure the future, although A already had a safe job with 2.5 million won salary.

`C` (32. Ph.D program at SNU), lecturer at the BIT education Center, said that `because the speed of technology development is so fast in IT industry, it is easy to fall behind if you don’t receive the continuing education every two year.` Choi Young-Suk (36), head of education at Ssangyong IT, said `most people who come to IT education center comprise of those who studied humanities or social science in college or are unemployed.`

- Employment Rate: BIT education Center announced that its employment rate was 100percent, including re-enrolment at school and pursuit of higher education. For Ssangyong IT education center, the employment rate decreased from 100percent to 90percent last April.

Kim Ji-Dong, section chief at LG-EDS Soft School, said, ``Although the employment rate marked above 90percent until last summer, it tends to decrease due to the economic recession and the ebb of venture industry.`` KCC IT Academy also announced that the employment rate decreased from 88percent to 72percent in May. The rate of employment in Samsung Multi Campus’ software field marked 87percent in 1999 and 90percent in 2000.

- How to enter IT education center: Programming, written exam, and interview with Cho Hyun-Chung, president of BIT Computer, are required to enter BIT education Center. Ssangyon IT requires the personal report card, IT ability exam and interview. LG-EDS selects the applicants through the personal report card and interview, whereas Multi Campus selects students through the personal report card for the evaluation of previous work experience. Tuition fee costs 4 million won per six months. There are also education programs for which the government pays the half of the fee.

Cheon Kwang-Am iam@donga.com