Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Samsung to recruit new trainees for software academy
A video promotes Samsung Electronics' computer software education program, Samsung Software Academy for Youth (SSAFY). Captured from Samsung's YouTube channel
By Baek Byung-yeul
Logo for Samsung Electronics / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
By Baek Byung-yeul
Samsung Electronics will recruit new trainees for Samsung Software Academy for Youth (SSAFY), a training program for developers of operating systems that was launched to help boost the nation's IT industry, according to the company, Monday.
The company said it will recruit new trainees for the 10th batch of SSAFY from April 24 to May 8, providing computer software education and various opportunities to help participants gain employment at IT companies around the country.
The 10th batch will include total of 1,150 students for a one-year education program at the company's five campuses in Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju, Gumi and Busan from July.
"Any unemployed individuals under the age of 29 who have graduated or are scheduled to graduate from a four-year university, regardless of their major, are eligible to apply. We will provide intensive software education for a total of 1,600 hours, with 8 hours of daily training, free of charge for one year, as well as conducting practical projects through collaboration among students,” Samsung said.
Samsung launched the program in 2018 as part of its efforts to contribute to the economic revitalization of the country and the job market.
The program was jointly designed with the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Samsung and the ministry have closely cooperated in recruiting trainees, operating education programs and helping trainees find jobs.
Up until the seventh batch as of December 2022, a total of 4,732 trainees have completed the program, with 3,857 of them successfully finding jobs.
Through collaboration with the financial industry, which has been expanding its recruitment of IT experts, major commercial banks provide various preferential benefits for the academy's students, such as special recruitment opportunities and additional points in the hiring process.
Furthermore, the academy offers various support programs to help trainees succeed in their job searches, including mentoring programs, opportunities for internships at domestic and overseas research institutes, individual career counseling, employment support services and funding.
Samsung introduced the SSAFY program as one of the effective means for job seekers to secure high-quality jobs by highlighting why graduates applied to this program and where they ended up working after graduation.
“Park Seon-ah, a graduate of the fifth batch, applied to the program to further improve her skills and experience diverse projects before seeking employment, despite her major in computer engineering. By performing various projects utilizing the latest software technologies, she learned the process of planning and completing projects. Afterward, she joined Samsung Electronics, where she is currently able to apply the skills and experience she gained from SSAFY to her actual work,” Samsung said.