"Land a Job Within Six Months and Earn 3.69 Million Won a Month"... The Certificate Drawing People in Their 50s and 60s

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[Financial News] There is a popular certification among people in their 50s and 60s who lost their jobs through early retirement or honorary retirement. It is the Craftsman Tower Crane Operating certificate. It is known as the certificate that can lead to the highest monthly pay after obtaining it.
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The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) and the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET) analyzed data on about 510,000 holders of national technical qualifications aged 50 to under 65 over the five years from 2020 to 2024. The result showed that the Craftsman Tower Crane Operating certificate ranked first for the highest monthly pay at a first job.
The average monthly salary received by middle-aged and older workers who obtained the Craftsman Tower Crane Operating certificate at their first job was 3.69 million won, the highest among the qualifications analyzed.
That is far higher than the 3 million to 3.1 million won starting salary typically offered to new college graduates.
Second place went to the Percussion Drill Operator Technician certificate, with 3.26 million won a month. Third was the Craftsman Bulldozer Operator certificate, at 2.95 million won. Crane Operator Technician and Rebar Worker Technician tied for fourth and fifth, each at 2.84 million won a month.
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What these qualifications have in common is that they all belong to the construction heavy equipment sector. In the complex environment of construction sites, delicate human control is essential, making these jobs difficult to replace with automation.
The certificate with the highest employment rate within six months was the Craftsman Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic certificate.
In fact, 54.3% of holders reportedly found jobs within six months.
The Craftsman Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanic certificate qualifies technicians who install and manage heating and cooling systems in buildings.
Demand in the air conditioning and refrigeration field continues to grow, as nearly every building now has heating and cooling facilities, and large buildings even have separate machine rooms.
It also ranked first in job stability. The share of people who kept their employment insurance coverage stood at 46.7%, nearly half. Energy Management Technician ranked second at 53.8%, followed by Forestry Technician at 52.6%, Elevator Technician at 51.9%, and Craftsman Electrician at 49.8%.
gaa1003@fnnews.com Ahn Ga-eul Reporter