Breaking through the job crunch for humanities majors... Sookmyung Women’s University opens Korea’s first Francophone Career Center

[Financial News] On the 20th, Sookmyung Women’s University opened a dedicated center specializing in career guidance and employment in the Francophone world—the first of its kind at a Korean university—and began full-scale operations.
According to Sookmyung Women’s University on the 21st, the newly opened Francophone Career Skills Development Center will serve as a hub that goes beyond language education to help students secure jobs overseas and at global companies. The AUF, a global organization for cooperation among Francophone universities, and the French Embassy in Korea are participating in the initiative.
The center offers practical, tailored programs—including special lectures by invited experts, company visits and French résumé-writing—to help students understand the world of work in Francophone countries and build the skills they need. It is seen as an expansion of existing educational and cultural exchanges into practical employment cooperation, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France.
Sookmyung Women’s University has continued to offer France-related education, opening the Le Cordon Bleu Korea Academy in 2002 and running the Future Leaders Camp in France since last year. Its departments have also offered career-linked major courses such as “Business French” and “French Luxury Brands,” and the establishment of the center has now given the university a foundation for systematic support.
Moon Si-yeon, president of Sookmyung Women’s University, and Michel Miraie, France’s chargé d’affaires in Korea, were among those attending the opening ceremony at Sunheon Hall on the university campus in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The center plans to hold three special lectures by Francophone experts in October and November.
“Learning French is about more than simply acquiring a foreign language,” said Moon Si-yeon, president of Sookmyung Women’s University. “The Francophonie can open up a range of opportunities for our students in academics, international exchange, career paths and employment.” She added, “I hope the Francophone Career Skills Development Center will grow into a vibrant space where students can discover new possibilities and make concrete plans for their futures.”

[email protected] Kim Man-ki Reporter