"Training 1 Million Digital Talents Over 5 Years"…Government to Implement 'Comprehensive Plan for Digital Talent Development'

Fostering Experts for the Digital Industry and Integrating Digital Technology into Humanities and Social Sciences Majors
Supporting Retraining for Employees and Corporate-Linked Education... Expanding Teachers for a Major Shift in the Digital Education System

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The government plans to significantly expand digital education opportunities for the public and nurture one million digital talents who will excel in various fields by 2026. Customized policies are being promoted across ministries to cultivate talents at different levels, including professionals active in the digital industry, talents who integrate digital technology into their respective majors such as humanities and social sciences, and individuals familiar with digital technology in everyday life.

On the 22nd, the Ministry of Education announced that it will implement the "Comprehensive Plan for Digital Talent Development," which was prepared through field visits to companies and schools, consultations with various councils to gather opinions from industry and education sectors, and extensive discussions with experts. This plan consists of nurturing one million digital talents at various levels, expanding the base of digital education to enhance the public's digital familiarity and capabilities, and promoting a major transformation of the digital education system to support the smooth implementation of digital talent development tasks.

The government will first nurture one million digital talents over the next five years. The higher education regulatory reform tasks and contract department-related matters presented in the "Semiconductor Talent Development Plan" announced on July 19 will also be applied to the digital field, and the government will expand projects such as the "Digital Innovation Shared University," "Software (SW)-Centered University," and "New Industry Specialized Junior College" to foster digital leading universities and continuously increase the number of majors in advanced digital fields.

Next, through the 4th phase of the Brain Korea 21 (BK21) project, the government will nurture new researchers in new industry fields and expand graduate schools in digital fields such as artificial intelligence, extended virtual worlds (Metaverse), cybersecurity, and big data. By promoting the specialization of research infrastructure, it will support research in the "Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Convergence" field and reorganize the "University ICT Research Centers" to focus on digital strategic technologies.

Additionally, specialized software (SW) and artificial intelligence (AI) curricula will be operated for gifted schools and science high schools, and gifted classes will be expanded. Digital field industry-demand customized high schools (Meister high schools) will be expanded from 6 schools to 1-2 schools per region, and digital field employment-tailored special military service will be expanded to support continuous capability development during military service.

Expected Effects

Support will also be provided for retraining of incumbent workers and company-linked education. The government will designate and operate excellent vocational colleges by city and province as vocational retraining institutions (DX-academy), nurture experienced retirees as digital transformation experts, and expand digital competency enhancement training for workers in various industries. Support will be provided for various digital education programs led by companies, and companies operating their own digital education programs will be certified as "Digital Leaders Club" and granted benefits.

Policies to expand the base of digital education will be pursued simultaneously. To expand information education, the government will support cultivating digital competencies within universal public education by increasing class hours, introducing elective information subjects (elementary), expanding principal-offered subjects (middle and high school), mandating computer language (coding) education (elementary and middle school), and activating software and artificial intelligence convergence education.

To enhance basic digital competencies, a digital competency diagnostic survey for adults will be conducted every three years starting in 2024, literacy education will be strengthened, and digital education will be provided to students and local residents through digital problem-solving centers. Digital tutors will be assigned to 1,800 rural elementary schools. Subsequently, the spread of "Digital Badges," which certify digital education, experience, and qualification records, will be supported, and a "Talent Ladder" will be established to systematically support growth as digital field professionals.

Key Policies to Expand the Base of Digital Education

Expected Effects

Efforts will also be made to expand teachers, improve regulations, and build databases for a major transformation of the digital education system. For teachers and professors, various information subject teachers will be utilized, and mid- to long-term necessary quotas will be reflected. Regulatory improvements and support measures will be prepared to utilize private experts as university professors, and database construction will be promoted.

To support retraining, information and computer minor teachers will be continuously expanded to improve convergence competencies and alleviate the shortage of itinerant teachers. The target for AI convergence education training will be expanded, and a domestic and international long-term training system for university professors will be developed and supported. Additionally, digital literacy standards will be reflected in the "Detailed Completion Criteria for Teacher Training Subjects," and a promotion system (AIEDAP) for cultivating teachers with digital competencies will be established and operated. From 2024, AI-based personalized learning systems will be supported, and digital textbooks and augmented reality (AR) content will be continuously expanded and distributed.

Meanwhile, the government plans to establish (designate) a specialized institution to comprehensively support digital talent development policies, projects, and research, form a digital talent alliance to strengthen open public-private cooperation, and accelerate policy support to actively utilize outstanding international students and overseas talents.

Jang Sang-yoon, Vice Minister of Education, said, "To support various talents who will excel in all social fields to acquire digital expertise, we will continue administrative and financial support with related ministries so that universities, companies, and the private sector can fully demonstrate their capabilities." He added, "We will actively nurture digital-friendly talents within the education system throughout the entire life cycle so that all citizens living in the era of digital transformation can sufficiently acquire digital competencies as basic literacy."

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