SK Group plans to scout for 2,100 young and experienced talents in the latter half of the year, the country’s third-largest conglomerate said Thursday.

With another 2,900 already hired in the first half, the figure will be added to mark a record number of 5,000 new employees for the year, up nearly 40 percent from last year’s 3,600.

“Preemptively recruiting talented people plays the most important role in the company’s competitiveness for long-term growth,” Chey Tae-won, the group’s chairman, said in a statement.

The total number reflects a spike in the quota of high school graduates ― whom most conglomerates have shunned in favor of those with higher education ― to 1,000 from 850 last year.

For the second half, the group said it wants 1,100 high school and college graduates and 1,000 experienced professionals.

According to the Federation of Korean Industries, the country’s 30 major business groups are expected to hire a record number of 124,000 new employees this year.

Last month, Korea’s 18 banks unveiled plans to double the quota of high school graduates to 787 this year, following the government’s call for more job openings for them in efforts to stave off prejudice based on academic background at the workplace and to highlight the importance of expertise and aptitude. 

By Choi He-suk  (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)