To encourage recent high school and vocational school graduates to explore career opportunities, the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Education have jointly launched the "Youth Employment Navigation Program." This initiative provides young people with workplace learning opportunities and offers an additional NT$10,000 monthly employment allowance on top of their salary, with a maximum payout of NT$360,000.
Born in 2004, Li Youzhen participated in this program and started working as a chef at a hotel, where she gained experience, solidified her career direction, and successfully saved funds to start her own business.
After graduating from the Department of Culinary Management at Jiaqi High School, Li, who had a strong interest in the food and beverage industry, decided to join the "Youth Employment Navigation Program" instead of continuing her studies. Through job matching by the Tainan Employment Center of the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan Branch of the Ministry of Labor, she secured a kitchen assistant position at Xirongxuan Grand Hotel two years ago.
Li shared that she had been involved in the food industry since childhood, working alongside her family, which led her to choose culinary studies in high school. After graduation, she entered the workforce immediately, gaining hands-on experience. Within two years, she was promoted from kitchen assistant to sous-chef and even participated in menu development, earning recognition from senior hotel management.
Li expressed that the "Youth Employment Navigation Program" helped her clarify her career goals, and she now plans to further her studies and travel to Hong Kong to learn authentic dim sum making, with the aim of expanding her culinary career. She encouraged junior students who are still unsure about their career paths to use this program to gain early exposure to the workforce and save funds for future studies or entrepreneurship.
Government Support and Employer Benefits
Liu Bangtang, Director of the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan Branch, stated that this program allows young individuals to enter the workforce first and then pursue further education, increasing the practical application of their studies. Participants can receive a monthly stipend of NT$10,000, with a maximum of NT$360,000, and are assigned workplace mentors to help them quickly adapt to their work environment. Additionally, employers can receive a monthly training subsidy of NT$5,000 for up to 24 months to support training and mentoring.
Details of the 「Youth Employment Navigation Program」 (Image / Source: Taiwan Employment Pass Website)
The Ministry of Labor urges recent high school and vocational school graduates to take advantage of this program to gain work experience and explore their future career direction. More information about the program is available on the "Youth Employment Navigation Program" website, or interested individuals can call (06) 6985945 ext. 1699 for inquiries.
