Ministry of Industry and Korea Design Promotion Agency Job Support Program
65% of Supported Companies Retain Employees, 90% Transition to Full-Time Positions
Kwon Tae-in (right), Director of Alpha Brothers, and newly hired designer Woo Yong-hoon are interviewed on the 13th at the company’s office in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Seo-young, Intern Reporter
Alpha Brothers, a startup based in Deungchon-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, has struck gold with its innovative "Design Subscription" service. Breaking away from the traditional industry practice of requiring companies and outsourcing firms to sign contracts for every design request—such as product logos or posters—Alpha Brothers offers services for the duration of a fixed subscription period. This allows companies to avoid hiring new designers for each project and request design revisions without additional costs. Founded in 2018 by two designers, the company has grown rapidly and now boasts 100 employees, including 30 designers.
However, the constant challenge of not being able to hire skilled designers at the right time remains a concern. Director Kwon Tae-in, whom we met on the 13th, explained, “If we hire three or four interns and fail to convert them to full-time employees, the investment of millions of won in wages over several months ends up as a sunk cost, and we have to recruit new interns. While looking for a way to hire talented designers, we discovered the Korean Design Promotion Agency’s employment support program.”
The company applied for the "Youth Link K-Design Power-Up" program, which subsidizes a portion of the wages (up to six months at minimum wage) for young designers with a design-related background.
As a result, Alpha Brothers was selected for the program and hired two interns in July. Both were converted to full-time employees by October. One of them, designer Woo Yong-hoon, shared, “After graduating from university, I worked at an app-based shopping mall for six to seven months before joining Alpha Brothers. It’s great to be able to learn and experience a lot at a growing startup.” Thanks to the subsidy, the company was able to offer Woo a salary that recognized his brief work experience, making it easier to recruit him.
Director Kwon added, “It’s hard to confidently offer a candidate their desired salary based solely on a portfolio because it’s unclear what results they can deliver. With support programs like this, we can actively recruit talented individuals.”
Source: Hankook Ilbo (https://www.hankookilbo.com/)
Kwon Tae-in (right), Director of Alpha Brothers, and newly hired designer Woo Yong-hoon are interviewed on the 13th at the company’s office in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yoon Seo-young, Intern Reporter
Alpha Brothers, a startup based in Deungchon-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, has struck gold with its innovative "Design Subscription" service. Breaking away from the traditional industry practice of requiring companies and outsourcing firms to sign contracts for every design request—such as product logos or posters—Alpha Brothers offers services for the duration of a fixed subscription period. This allows companies to avoid hiring new designers for each project and request design revisions without additional costs. Founded in 2018 by two designers, the company has grown rapidly and now boasts 100 employees, including 30 designers.
However, the constant challenge of not being able to hire skilled designers at the right time remains a concern. Director Kwon Tae-in, whom we met on the 13th, explained, “If we hire three or four interns and fail to convert them to full-time employees, the investment of millions of won in wages over several months ends up as a sunk cost, and we have to recruit new interns. While looking for a way to hire talented designers, we discovered the Korean Design Promotion Agency’s employment support program.”
The company applied for the "Youth Link K-Design Power-Up" program, which subsidizes a portion of the wages (up to six months at minimum wage) for young designers with a design-related background.
As a result, Alpha Brothers was selected for the program and hired two interns in July. Both were converted to full-time employees by October. One of them, designer Woo Yong-hoon, shared, “After graduating from university, I worked at an app-based shopping mall for six to seven months before joining Alpha Brothers. It’s great to be able to learn and experience a lot at a growing startup.” Thanks to the subsidy, the company was able to offer Woo a salary that recognized his brief work experience, making it easier to recruit him.
Director Kwon added, “It’s hard to confidently offer a candidate their desired salary based solely on a portfolio because it’s unclear what results they can deliver. With support programs like this, we can actively recruit talented individuals.”
Source: Hankook Ilbo (https://www.hankookilbo.com/)