Seoul City-KAIST Support Advanced AI Developer Training Program... Recruiting 35 Trainees

The First Local Government Training Program for Small and Medium Enterprises, Cultivating Advanced AI Developers
Conducting Projects Applicable to Real Product Development with Mentoring from KAIST Faculty

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] As the demand for highly skilled developers with both artificial intelligence (AI) expertise and industry experience grows across various sectors such as fintech and bio-medical, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 7th that it will fully support nurturing talent within companies in collaboration with KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology).

Seoul is recruiting 35 trainees by the 26th to participate in the 2nd session of the ‘KAIST Machine Learning Engineer Bootcamp.’ The ‘KAIST Machine Learning Engineer Bootcamp’ is a program that provides specialized AI education to internal R&D personnel working at promising mid-sized and small enterprises, enabling them to grow into AI developers.

As the first local government-led educational program for small and mid-sized enterprises, it operates an independent curriculum developed in cooperation with the KAIST Graduate School of AI, aimed at cultivating advanced AI developers who are practically needed by companies.

The first session conducted in the first half of this year saw 17 trainees from 12 companies graduate. During the course, six team projects were carried out alongside theoretical and practical training. Among the participating companies, some are planning to adopt the projects completed by the graduates as new business ventures, according to the city.

The 2nd session, starting in October, has significantly strengthened its curriculum to focus on team-based ‘capstone projects’ reflecting corporate demands. The goal is for specialized R&D personnel within companies to acquire top-tier AI skills and immediately apply them to product development.

In the team-based ‘capstone projects,’ companies select desired topics and receive mentoring from KAIST Graduate School of AI professors and teaching assistants while conducting projects at a level applicable to actual AI product development. In particular, the program plans to actively incorporate corporate needs so that participating companies can directly implement AI technologies such as facial, object, and voice recognition, as well as image transformation.

Final trainees will be selected by mid-September through a comprehensive review by the trainee selection committee based on documents and online interviews. After the training, a follow-up network will be established and operated at the ‘AI Yangjae Hub’ for outstanding participating companies and graduates. The program will continuously provide information related to the AI industry and support corporate growth programs such as investment attraction and financial assistance. Additionally, it will seek opportunities for inter-company cooperation and new business or new field creation through meetings among employees from various industries.

Meanwhile, regarding the 2nd session, Seoul will hold a preliminary lecture on the 9th at the ‘AI Yangjae Hub.’ Targeting CEOs and HR managers of small and mid-sized enterprises, the event will introduce AI technology development trends and implementation strategies (presented by Jeong Song, Dean of KAIST Graduate School of AI) and share details about the training program.

Seoul’s New Growth Industry Planning Officer Bae Hyun-sook said, “The 2nd bootcamp will further enhance the strengths of the 1st session’s curriculum and provide systematic education. We expect many mid-sized and small enterprises aiming for innovative growth through the immediate adoption of AI technology to participate.”

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