Talks about the decline in the local youth population and labor shortages in companies are no longer unfamiliar. Companies say it is difficult to find people to work for, and young people say it is difficult to find jobs they want in their local areas. At first glance, it may sound like two contradictory stories, but when we look closely at the education and industrial sites of the Jingeok, both are realities we face. Yeongcheon is a city that has grown based on manufacturing industries such as automobile parts, machinery, and metal. Recently, automation and robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart manufacturing technologies have been rapidly spreading in manufacturing sites. In the past, the ability to operate given equipment was important, but now there is a growing demand for practical professionals who can understand automated equipment and robots and solve problems occurring on the production floor using new technologies. However, there is still a gap between the talent companies need and young people educated in the region. Many students prepare for employment without having had enough experience of what companies are in the area, what work is done there, and how they can make use of their major. On the other hand, companies say it is difficult to find the talent they need, and they also mention the burden of having to retrain the hard-to-hire employees to fit the workplace environment. In the end, just as much as the shortage of people, the lack of connection between education and the industrial field is also an important issue. Then would simply encouraging young people to stay in the region and find jobs be enough. The starting point for local settlement should not simply be asking young people to stay, but rather creating pathways that allow them to learn, work, and grow in the region. To achieve this, the connections between high schools, universities, and local businesses must become more tightly knit than they are now. Students should be exposed to local industries and companies from high school, and at the university level participate in projects and practical training linked to actual corporate demand; such experiences should be able to lead to field training and employment. There is also a need to increase opportunities for company representatives to introduce on-the-job duties and technologies at universities, and for students to directly experience company sites. For students, it provides an opportunity to clarify their career paths, and for companies, it becomes a chance to meet the talent they need early and grow together. At Korea Polytechnic University’s Robot Campus in Yeongcheon, the Industry-Academia Cooperation Office is also working to expand the connection between the university and local industries. We are attempting this kind of connection through high school–university linked education, joint research with local companies, and support for technical difficulties faced by businesses Each activity is different in method, but in the same direction. It is about providing students with opportunities to experience industrial sites and connecting companies with the necessary technology and talent. The closer education and the corporate field become connected, the more concretely students can map out their career paths, and the greater the potential for companies to discover and nurture talent needed in the region. We need to take one step further here. The development of local talent should not be viewed merely in terms of employment for new workers. Learning must continue even after employment. Especially technologies such as robotics and automation, and AI, are changing at a rapid pace. It is difficult to continuously respond to changing industrial workplaces with only the technologies learned a few years ago. This is why, alongside training new talent, it is important to continuously enhance the job competencies of current employees already working at local companies. In-service training also needs to get closer to the needs of the field. Companies introducing new automation equipment may need training in robot operation and automation technologies, while companies aiming to improve production processes may need digital technology training that can be applied immediately on site. By leveraging the university’s equipment and expert personnel to provide this kind of education and, in the process, also address the technical challenges companies are facing, in-service training can evolve beyond simple education into industry-academia collaboration that enhances corporate productivity and technological capabilities. From this perspective, the role of regional universities also needs to be further expanded. It should go beyond educating and graduating students, by also nurturing talent needed by local businesses and expanding its role into a place where employees can relearn new technologies and work together to address the technical challenges companies face on the ground. The effectiveness of industry-academia cooperation can be even greater when the university’s educational facilities, equipment, and specialized personnel are connected not only to students but also to local businesses and current employees. In this process, a dedicated industry-academia cooperation organization can serve as a practical channel connecting the university’s educational and technological capabilities with the on-site needs of local companies. That does not necessarily mean that a new large-scale project is required. Yeongcheon already has high schools and universities, various manufacturing companies, and related institutions. Rather than creating new organizations or businesses, the priority is to tightly connect the education and business support functions each institution has. The practical starting point is to create a link, one step at a time, from high school to university, from university to local companies, and after employment back to university job training. The settlement of local talent cannot be addressed by a single policy or a short-term project alone. However, we can create an environment where students become familiar with local companies, companies meet local students, and employed workers can continue learning new technologies whenever needed. Learn in the region, work for local companies, and learn again while working. Consistently creating this virtuous cycle is the most practical way for local youth and businesses to grow together, and for that growth to flow back into the region.   This text has been translated using AI, Gemini, and qapago.