[K-Women Talk] Corporate Job Boot Camps Recommended for Those Who Have Tasted the Bitter Side of Job Hunting

An Era When Even Science and Engineering Graduates Struggle to Find Jobs
Recommended Corporate Job Experience Programs
Some Offer Recruitment Opportunities and Financial Support

The struggling nephew failed to get a job. As a top engineering student with excellent grades and language skills, it was surprising. Just three years ago, he used to get accepted at two or three places. In fact, last year's job market was so tough that people didn't just say "Sorry for being in the humanities," but even "Sorry for being in science and engineering."

According to statistics from the Ministry of Employment and Labor, as of November last year, new job postings on Worknet decreased by 30.8% compared to the year before. The industries that were particularly difficult last year were construction, textiles, wholesale and retail, and information and communication.

In a job market where even science and engineering graduates cannot feel secure, what should the nephew, who needs to reorganize his strategy, do? If I had to pick just one thing, it would be "participating in a boot camp to gain job experience." Internships would be better, but since "internships are gold" now, boot camps with wider access can be an alternative.

A boot camp originally means a military recruit training center, but recently it refers to "developer training institutions" and more broadly to "job experience programs." Fortunately, there are quite a few free boot camps hosted by large corporations. Some are linked to recruitment and provide support funds, so be sure to check them out.

First, developer training boot camps. The well-known Samsung Youth SW Academy (SSAFY) has produced about 9,000 graduates from 2018 to last year. Admissions are in January and July every year, and the program lasts one year. It offers intensive, practice-centered coding education and projects similar to real work. It is conducted at its subsidiary Multicampus and provides a monthly stipend of 1 million KRW.

Naver runs a 7-month program called Boost Camp. Starting with the first web and mobile class in 2016, it recently added AI tech and produces about 600 graduates annually. The education is conducted entirely online, and study costs are supported when needed.

Baedal Minjok holds the Elegant Tech Camp once a year for 10 weeks. It is a backend education course using JAVA, allowing participants to experience everything from implementing bulletin boards to operation and maintenance. It provides 1.6 million KRW in tuition support for 5 weeks.

Hyundai Motor Company has been running a recruitment-linked Softier Boot Camp for future mobility talent since 2022, and Hyundai AutoEver operates a Mobility SW School. POSCO’s For You Dream, running since 2019, offers three tracks: job competency enhancement courses, AI academy, and startup school, covering a wide range of participants.

Recently, many boot camps specialized in AI and DX (Digital Transformation) have emerged. LG operates AIMERS, a 2-month program to nurture talent who can solve field problems with AI. It concludes with a 2-day offline hackathon after online AI classes. KT runs AIVLE SCHOOL, recruiting two tracks: AI developers and DX consultants, with a hybrid of online and offline education. Other examples include SK Telecom’s TECH ACADEMY and Hanwha’s Dreamin IOS Academy.

Semiconductor boot camps are also noteworthy. SK Hynix’s Youth HY-FIVE, started in 2018, offers 4 weeks of quality semiconductor job training followed by a 3-month internship at partner companies. Additionally, financial institutions, secondary battery, chemical and petroleum, and bio companies are increasingly opening job boot camps. Marketing boot camps for humanities students are also emerging.

Now, let's stop asking, "Where can absolute beginners gain job experience?" Diligently update your boot camp list and apply.

Lee Sook-eun, Publisher of Employment Backbone & CEO of Lee’s Bookstore

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