Swarms Korean Connection
In January the Swarm team was really proud to host a visit from four South Korean students from Yonsei University, who were looking to learn more about our education system and apprenticeships.
Ji-hyeon Park, the team leader, is a 21year old education major who organised the trip on behalf of the university as they have been researching about ‘Aptitude-Developing & Career-Coaching Education of Korea’. They came to the UK searching for the best practices of career education in UK with the view to introduce those successes to Korea.
During the two days in January, the Swarm team took them on a whistle stop tour of Norwich to take in the culture, and then over two days introduced them to Ormiston Victory Academy, Wymondham College and also meta number of business leaders and Chloe Smith at the Norwich 4 Jobs celebration event.
Ji-hyeon Park comments on their trip and their experience of the two days in the UK.
“We are an undergraduate research team from South Korea, which is funded by Yonsei University. We found Swarm Apprenticeships remarkable in doing such great apprentice programmes. It was quite impressive that Swarm’s programmes have been done in an aspect of entrepreneurship. Also, it was interesting that the founding spirit of Swarm Apprenticeships originated from Robert’s personal experience.
Students deserve second chance in their life, and apprenticeships are probably one of the best ways to provide such opportunity. Regarding the company’s structure, Swarm Apprenticeships is doing a great job. Even though it’s a new born company, the team in Swarm performed their distinct abilities to successfully thrive in the field of education.
South Korea is in a start-up level in career education for teenagers. Students still suffer from test-based educational atmosphere. But there happens some changes and movement for making better education which relate to real life experience and career. Therefore Norwich, the city was very amazing.
They have many meaningful projects like ‘Norwich for Jobs’ and many social enterprises to support apprenticeships of young people. It is very outstanding not only the city’s heritage but also the education trials. Including the school, Ormiston Victory Academy, the whole local community seems to successfully share visions about education for next generation. The great hospitality of Swarm Apprenticeships and also the Norwich city itself made our journey much more precious. It must be a great help to Korea for making better ways for career education. Unforgettable memories we had will be with us the whole life”.
Swarm’s Managing Director, Chris Perry was contacted back in November by the team at Yonsei who explained they had come across Swarm and wanted to visit. “I was a bit taken back by the original email as it’s not very often a small training provider like us gets noticed from half way around the world. It was a fantastic visit that taught me a lot about their culture and economy, and equally they learnt a lot about our education system. The students were an absolute delight to get to know over the two days, and I am really proud that the vision and values of a Norfolk apprenticeships provider like ourselves were able to influence research being done to challenge the current Korean education system.”