High school graduates navigating the workplace in South Korea: challenges, strategies and the role of HRD

Purpose

Education-based discrimination has not received sufficient attention within the field of human resource development (HRD), which can provide practical interventions to help solve the hardships of high school graduate employees (HSGEs). This paper aims to bring this issue to the forefront by framing the current marginalization of South Korean HSGEs as an individual-level issue that has repercussions to early career development, and also as an organizational-level issue that has implications on workplace learning and development.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used an integrative literature review method by analyzing studies that have focused on the challenges faced by HSGEs. The objective was to identify patterns of their experiences and call attention to strategies they utilize to cope with the marginality they face in the workforce. The Korea Citation Index (KCI), a database that manages Korean domestic journals, was used. In total, 187 articles were found, and 15 articles succinctly matched the research criteria.

Findings

HSGEs struggled with employment unreadiness and faced discrimination based on their academic background, young age and low-rank position within organizations. In turn, they were vulnerable to poor working conditions (e.g., high work intensity, long working hours, etc.). These challenges led HSGEs to pursue a college degree and/or engage in workplace learning.

Originality/value

The use of critical human resource development (CHRD) has typically been limited within a South Korean context. We deliberately applied a critical perspective to raise awareness about how contemporary forms of marginality have gone unchecked, specifically by interrogating the exclusion and disempowerment experienced by HSGEs.