LG Expands Ethiopia Training Model to Somalia

LG Signed Pact With UNDP on on May 19 in Addis Ababa

LG Electronics signed a “Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Cooperation for Youth Technical Training in Somalia” with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Pictured from left to right: Park Wan-gyu, KOICA Kenya Office Director; Yang Seung-hwan, LG Electronics Ethiopia Branch Manager; and Lionel Lawrence, UNDP Somalia Regional Representative. (Photo=LG Electronics)

LG Electronics is expanding its vocational training success model, accumulated over more than a decade in Ethiopia, to the neighboring country of Somalia, stepping up its efforts to support the self-reliance of African youth.

LG Electronics announced on May 19 that it recently signed a “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for Youth Technical Training in Somalia” with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Under this agreement, LG Electronics will provide core know-how covering all aspects of operations to the vocational training school being newly established in Somalia by UNDP and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Specifically, this includes the development of curricula and operational manuals, capacity-building training for local instructors, and support in selecting educational tools and test products. Somali instructors will also have the opportunity to directly benchmark Ethiopia’s operational system.

The LG-KOICA Hope Vocational Training School in Ethiopia, chosen as the model to be transferred, has established itself as a cradle of youth self-reliance since its founding in 2014. Built as an expression of gratitude toward Ethiopia — the only African country that participated in the Korean War — the school provides free education in the fields of electrical and electronics as well as IT.

The results are proven by the numbers. All 611 graduates produced to date have successfully entered society through employment or entrepreneurship. LG Electronics contributes to tangible job creation by offering outstanding graduates hire-track internship opportunities at its Middle East and Africa Service Corporation. For those seeking to start their own businesses, practical mentoring covering areas including law and marketing is provided through an in-school entrepreneurship support center.

Based on these achievements, the school was recognized by the Ethiopian government as a best-practice case among vocational training schools in 2020.

Yang Seung-hwan, LG Electronics Ethiopia Branch Manager, emphasized, “We will share the successful experience we have built in Ethiopia over the past decade with Somalia to help African youth achieve self-reliance,” adding, “We will do our utmost to fulfill our social responsibility as a global company.”

Jung Min-hee