<P> With South Korea's bleak economic and employment prospects for its youth, President Park Geun - hye went out internationally to countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Austria to address South Korea's more glaring employment needs including tackling the country's high youth employment rate and as well as reforming South Korea's education system . In early 2015, Park Geun - Hye traveled to Switzerland to study the European apprenticeship system . By summer, the South Korean government mandated that all students in vocational high schools must also have an opportunity to be an apprentice . The government has also mandated an "employment first, university later" policy to encourage vocational graduates to work in industry and put off higher education until later . Drawing inspiration from the vocational schools and apprenticeship models of Germany and Switzerland, many Meister schools have been established in South Korea to prepare students for careers earlier . The schools offer to teach students specialized industrial skills and job training to tailor the needs of respective South Korean industries such as automobile and mechanical manufacturing and shipbuilding . Dual apprentice schools have also been introduced where students can work and study at the same time . High school students can go to school for a couple of days a week or a set period of the year or study at school for the rest with a stronger emphasis gaining employment skills than rather going to college . Many young South Koreans are now choosing their jobs tailored to their interests rather than blindly accepting career choices imposed by their parents and choosing jobs outside the conventional classroom . With the changing dynamics in the global economy in the 21st century as well as the implementation of vocational education in the South Korean education system as an alternative to the traditional path of going to university, a good education from a prestigious university no longer guarantees a comfortable life, and one's status in society is no longer necessarily guaranteed by educational background . Since the rise of Meister schools and modern reforms in the South Korean education system, many young South Koreans are now realizing that one doesn't necessarily need a college degree to be successful in the workforce and enter the middle class, but instead the right skills . The establishment of Meister schools now shows South Koreans that there can be multiple pathways to socioeconomic and career success and that vocational school graduates can still be professionally and financially successful in South Korean society . Educational reform modeled from Switzerland and Germany offers career alternatives besides the traditional university route allowing South Koreans to express occupational diversity and as well as redefine what is real achievement in South Korean society is . </P> <P> Note: All ages are not in Western years . In parentheses are the Korean Ages; to find the age in the Korean age system add one to the latter ages shown here . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Level / Grade </Th> <Th> Typical age </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Infant School </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Nursery School </Td> <Td> 0 - 3 (1 - 4) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Kindergarten </Td> <Td> 4 - 6 (5 - 7) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Primary School </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1st Grade </Td> <Td> 7 (8) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2nd Grade </Td> <Td> 8 (9) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3rd Grade </Td> <Td> 9 (10) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4th Grade </Td> <Td> 10 (11) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5th Grade </Td> <Td> 11 (12) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6th Grade </Td> <Td> 12 (13) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Middle School </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7th grade </Td> <Td> 13 (14) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8th Grade </Td> <Td> 14 (15) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9th Grade </Td> <Td> 15 (16) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> High School </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10th Grade </Td> <Td> 16 (17) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11th Grade </Td> <Td> 17 (18) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12th Grade </Td> <Td> 18 (19) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Post-secondary education </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Tertiary education (College or University) </Td> <Td> Ages vary (usually four years, referred to as Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior years) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Membership Training in Korea </Td> <Td> Ages also vary as they do for Tertiary education </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Level / Grade </Th> <Th> Typical age </Th> </Tr>

What age do you start school in south korea