Overcoming Challenges: KENTURN Industrial Drives Its Future Through Talent

Since its establishment in 1983, KENTURN Industrial Corp. has specialized in the research, design, manufacturing, assembly, and sales of various machine spindles and cutting tools. With 40 years of technical expertise, it has gradually become a benchmark enterprise in Taiwan’s spindle industry, employing more than 230 people. Recognizing that talent is the core resource for continuous innovation and competitiveness, KENTURN adheres to the philosophy of valuing and nurturing talent, striving to provide employees with diverse opportunities for training and development.

Located in the Xianxi section of the Changbin Industrial Park, the company faces recruitment challenges due to its geographic location, the strong talent attraction of the tech industry, and demographic shifts such as declining birth rates. Nevertheless, KENTURN has not been deterred by these constraints. Instead, it actively leverages various government policies and resources, such as the Ministry of Economic Affairs’ Smart Machinery Industry-Academia Promotion Program, the Ministry of Digital Affairs’ T Ambassador Program, the Ministry of Labor’s College Graduate Pre-Employment Program, and the Youth Employment Pilot Program. By integrating these initiatives with its internal talent development mechanisms, the company attracts outstanding talent and cultivates its workforce, aiming to overcome geographic and demographic limitations.

Although KENTURN has a solid technological foundation, its business is neither highly technology-intensive nor labor-intensive. Therefore, the company organizes its own professional training programs, investing a considerable annual budget to promote diverse educational initiatives. These include collaborating with external consultants and academic experts and offering courses that combine professional skills with work-life balance. Training is viewed as a long-term investment in the company’s future. Through customized learning plans, employees continuously enhance their skills and adapt to the rapidly changing industrial environment. New hires undergo six months to one year of professional training to ensure a smooth transition into their roles. These programs strengthen employees’ capabilities, unlock their potential, and enable them to deliver maximum value in their positions.

Deepening Industry-Academia Collaboration to Expand Talent Reserves

Since 2019, KENTURN has established long-term partnerships with major universities in central Taiwan, actively engaging with departments related to mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, automation, and information technology. Through internship programs and specialized industry-academia classes, the company attracts students to learn and work in real-world settings, bridging the gap between theory and practice. Students apply what they learn in school, while the company observes and nurtures potential talent for future needs. Training mechanisms for interns and industry-academia students are nearly identical to those for full-time employees: experienced mentors provide one-on-one guidance, hands-on experience, and benefits comparable to regular staff. Clear learning objectives and career development plans enhance students’ sense of belonging and significantly improve retention rates.

For example, in this year’s collaboration with National Chin-Yi University of Technology and National Formosa University, KENTURN assigned workplace mentors based on job roles, ensuring students learn skills in a safe and stable environment. By combining academic knowledge with practical experience, the program embodies the spirit of technical and vocational education—“learning by doing and doing while learning.” In addition to attractive salaries and benefits, the company offers free apartment-style dormitories and opportunities for promotion and salary increases for outstanding performers. These measures make students feel valued, strengthen their loyalty to the company, and inject new momentum into its growth.

Furthermore, KENTURN has adopted the iPAS competency certification promoted by the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. On major recruitment platforms, the company lists “priority interview and hiring for candidates with iPAS certification” as a requirement, accelerating the process of finding suitable talent. Internally, it actively encourages employees to take iPAS exams relevant to their roles, such as “Smart Manufacturing Engineer,” “Operations Intelligence Engineer,” and “Machine Tool Mechanical Design Engineer.” Employees who pass these certifications receive additional professional allowances, improving the efficiency of talent recruitment and development.

Driving Competitiveness Through Talent to Create a Sustainable Future

In the face of globalization, the key to corporate competitiveness is no longer just products or technology but the integration of continuous innovation and talent. Only by consistently attracting and cultivating outstanding individuals through proactive talent development policies and deep industry-academia collaboration can a company build a solid foundation for future growth.

Looking ahead, KENTURN will continue to strengthen cooperation with academia, explore new partnership models, and expand the synergy between industry and education. Whether by offering employees training programs aligned with practical needs or by recruiting new-generation technical talent from campuses, Chairman Yeh Chan-Shuo remains committed to the belief of “cherishing and nurturing talent for sustainable inheritance,” creating a highly competitive enterprise that thrives on sustainable development.