AI Officer School Competition Rate 5.8:1... Applicants Flock Nationwide

Mayor Lee Yong-seop: "We Will Make It a Cradle for Convergence Talents to Open the AI Era"

Gwangju City Hall

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City has shown high interest as applicants from all over the country flocked to the Artificial Intelligence Officer School, which is set to open next month with the goal of nurturing AI-specialized talent.

According to Gwangju City on the 1st, as of the application deadline on the 31st of last month, 1,045 people applied for 180 available spots, resulting in a competition ratio of 5.8 to 1.

By region, 524 applicants came from Gwangju, accounting for 50%, while neighboring Jeonnam (92), Jeonbuk (31), as well as Seoul (126), Gyeonggi (114), and Busan (22) showed significant interest nationwide.

By major, science and engineering fields such as computer engineering, software, information and communications, electronics, mathematics, and statistics accounted for 38%, making up more than half of the applicants, but there were also many humanities majors such as business, economics, and cultural contents.

The reason why so many applicants gathered for talent development education held outside the metropolitan area is interpreted as meaning that artificial intelligence, which is leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has now moved beyond vague curiosity to become a major option in deciding employment, entrepreneurship, and career transitions.

In particular, with the global COVID-19 pandemic increasing demand for non-face-to-face and digital technologies, and job seekers and workers raising their interest in the new job environment that AI will bring, this trend is expected to continue.

The Artificial Intelligence Officer School is currently conducting an online basic course that started on the 21st of last month and will continue until the 17th of this month.

This course releases weekly lectures every Thursday morning, and students must complete the previous lectures and pass quizzes before accessing the next lectures; submitting assignments is also required for course completion recognition.

After the online basic course ends, 360 people, twice the number of recruits, will be granted eligibility to take the selection exam.

The exam content is based on the lessons from the online basic course and the questions are prepared by an external professional organization.

The exam uses a platform called ‘Programmers,’ which is widely used by major information and communication companies.

In particular, an online proctoring service that simultaneously monitors the test taker’s real appearance and the computer screen used for the exam will be added to enhance transparency.

The final selection results will be announced on the 24th, and selection will be based on a comprehensive evaluation of motivation for application (10%), performance evaluation of the online basic course (20%), and the selection exam (70%).

The finally selected trainees will complete enrollment registration by the end of this month and receive on-site lectures from next month through November. The entrance ceremony is scheduled for the 1st of next month.

Since this project is funded by local government expenses, Gwangju City plans to ensure that at least half of the selected candidates are from the local area.

The local criteria are as follows: ▲Graduated or expected to graduate from a high school or university located in Gwangju (including those who graduated from a Gwangju high school but graduated or are expected to graduate from a university in another region) ▲Those who have not graduated from a high school or university in Gwangju but have a registered address under the Resident Registration Act in Gwangju as of May 1, and have continuously lived there for six months or more, or a total of three years or more.

Mayor Lee Yong-seop said, “It was unimaginable in the past for many talented young people from other regions to flock to Gwangju, which is proof that the future of the AI industry is being closely watched. We will do our best to make Gwangju a cradle of convergence talent that will open the AI era.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.