Who needs a degree? South Korea’s chip boom rewires university-obsessed culture
‘When I think about the pay I’ll be getting at Samsung, I’m not worried at all,’ a student at a semiconductor school says
About half of the school’s graduates head straight to large companies such as Samsung Electronics or SK Hynix without ever setting foot in a university classroom.
The scene illustrates how South Korea’s semiconductor boom is beginning to challenge the country’s deeply entrenched belief that a university degree is the only route to a successful career.
Even graduates of prestigious universities struggle to land jobs at large companies that are looking for experienced workers rather than new graduates.
