This study analyzes the effectiveness of the “Ilmeori Academy,” a practical competency-based educational program at Kyungnam University, designed to foster job-ready graduates in response to corporate demands. The research examines how four core c...
This study analyzes the effectiveness of the “Ilmeori Academy,” a practical competency-based educational program at Kyungnam University, designed to foster job-ready graduates in response to corporate demands. The research examines how four core competencies―personality, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving―affect students’ academic satisfaction and tests the moderating effect of participation in the Ilmeori Academy using hierarchical regression analysis based on survey data. The results show that personality, collaboration, and problem-solving competencies had significant positive effects on academic satisfaction, while communication competency did not. Although participation in the program did not have a direct effect on academic satisfaction, it showed a moderating effect in which students with higher personality or problem-solving competency reported greater academic satisfaction. Conversely, the positive effect of collaboration competency on academic satisfaction was stronger among non-participants. These findings suggest that the Ilmeori Academy plays a conditional role in translating student competencies into academic outcomes. The study contributes theoretically by empirically validating the moderating role of practical training in the relationship between core competencies and academic satisfaction, and it offers practical implications for designing differentiated, competency-based programs aligned with industry needs.