KAIST Faculty Train AI Experts... Recruiting Students for 'Seocho AI College'

For Job-Seeking Youths Aged 19 to 39
Six-Month Program Accepting Applications Until the 11th of Next Month

Seocho District, Seoul (District Mayor Jeon Seong-su) is recruiting participants for the ‘Seocho AI College,’ a program to train artificial intelligence (AI) experts in collaboration with KAIST, until the 11th of next month.

Graduation ceremony of 'Seocho AI College'. Provided by Seocho-gu.

Seocho AI College is an ambitious talent development program operated in Seocho District, a leading AI special zone in Seoul, and will commence next month. The six-month training will be conducted at the KAIST Software Education Center, where KAIST’s expert instructors will provide the latest AI technology and practical, hands-on education to enhance participants’ professional capabilities.

The program is recruiting 100 job-seeking youths aged 19 to 39 residing in Seocho District. Applications can be submitted through the Seocho District Office website until the 11th of next month. On the 28th of last month, an online pre-briefing session for ‘Seocho AI College’ was held, and the video is available anytime on the Seocho District YouTube channel.

The training consists of preliminary, advanced, and project courses. The preliminary course offers two weeks (40 hours) of basic Python education. Afterward, participants must pass a coding test, document screening, and interview to proceed to the advanced course. The advanced course lasts 10 weeks (200 hours), covering AI modeling, machine learning and deep learning algorithms, image and natural language processing, and other practical skills, along with team projects. Finally, the project course involves collaborating with current industry professionals on AI-based practical projects for 10 weeks (400 hours).

The training is conducted both online and offline, with offline feedback sessions held every Saturday from 1 PM for five hours during each course. Additionally, a close mentorship system will be operated throughout the entire program to provide tailored mentoring that meets participants’ diverse needs, such as employment or graduate school admission.

Upon completing the final project course, participants will receive a certificate of completion signed by the KAIST president and gain opportunities to participate in internships supported by the district. These internships, lasting six months, are offered by AI and related companies in Seoul and nearby areas, allowing participants to apply what they have learned and gain practical experience. The monthly salary is over 2 million KRW, with opportunities for full-time employment. The district plans to support 1.8 million KRW of the monthly salary.

Since 2019, the district has been conducting systematic core technology education in collaboration with KAIST to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. Especially after the Yangjae and Umyeon-dong areas were designated as an AI special zone last year, this year’s program aims to train advanced AI personnel ready for immediate deployment in the field, focusing on advanced and project courses without a basic course.

Starting in June, an additional competency enhancement course will be offered for currently employed workers. This course targets workers already engaged in practical work at companies and provides education on AI service project design reflecting the latest research trends and the application of the newest AI algorithms.

Meanwhile, the ‘Seocho AI College’ program has produced a total of 114 graduates over the past six years. Most of these graduates have been employed as AI developers at big tech companies such as Naver and major IT corporations, while some have advanced to graduate schools at KAIST and other domestic and international institutions to become research personnel advancing the AI industry. Additionally, about 10% of the graduates have ventured into entrepreneurship, establishing AI startups and contributing to industrial growth, according to district officials.

Mayor Jeon Seong-su stated, “Seocho District has long laid the foundation for nurturing AI talent and fostering related industries by operating ‘Seocho AI College.’ With the designation of the Yangjae AI special zone last year, starting this year, we will cultivate top-tier talent leading the AI industry through more advanced education and lay the groundwork for leaping forward as a future high-tech city.”

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