Oh Sehun Inspects AI Education Sites: "Expanding Collaboration with Companies"

Mayor Oh Visits Seoul Youth Metropolitan Center for Dialogue
Reviews Projects Such as AI Barbershop and Smart Helmet
From Startups by Non-Majors to Employment at Global Companies

Oh Sehun, Mayor of Seoul, visited the Youth Employment Academy on July 20 to observe the achievements of young AI talents nurtured in collaboration with global big tech companies. The Seoul Metropolitan Government is listening to the voices of young people in both education and industry settings to make AI a new ladder of growth for youth.

The Youth Employment Academy first launched its Yeongdeungpo campus in 2021 to foster talent in AI and software, and now operates campuses in all 25 districts of Seoul. In 2025, the Global Big Tech Campus, with global big tech firms such as Microsoft participating as educational partners, has achieved a high employment rate of 86%.

Oh Sehun, Mayor of Seoul. Seoul City

Mayor Oh's visit, following the launch of the ninth popularly-elected city administration, aimed to tour an AI project exhibition and listen to stories from young people who successfully bridged education, employment, and entrepreneurship. The "Youth Employment Academy Global Big Tech Campus My Growth Story Talk Talk" event, held at the Seoul Youth Metropolitan Center Community Hall, was attended by around 80 people, including 78 current trainees and graduates of the Global Big Tech Campus, as well as representatives from the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry High-Tech Training Center.

Mayor Oh visited the outstanding project exhibition zones at each of the Big Tech Campuses, reviewing AI services and products developed directly by the students and graduates. The Mapo Campus showcased the "AI Barbershop Reservation System," an AI-based Instagram marketing service created to reduce SNS marketing burdens for barbershop and beauty industry small business owners. This system automates everything from content creation to posting with just a photo upload, and the project has also been listed on the Microsoft Marketplace.

At the Jongno Campus, an "AI-powered Smart Helmet Driver Assistance System" was presented. This equipment helps prevent accidents and supports safe driving by letting AI recognize road conditions and potential dangers in real time. The project received the Encouragement Prize at the "AI Talent Festival."

After touring the projects, Mayor Oh listened to growth stories directly from students and graduates, confirming that AI education is indeed leading to real employment and entrepreneurship. During the "Growth Story Relay," three graduates with different majors and experiences shared their journeys of pursuing employment, changing fields, and starting new businesses through the Youth Employment Academy.

Previously, the Seoul Metropolitan Government partnered last year with Microsoft, Intel, and Salesforce to operate three dedicated Global Big Tech Campuses in Mapo, Jongno, and Jung-gu districts. Employees from these global companies and certified instructors participated in the training, offering theory, practical exercises, projects, and special employment lectures, thereby cultivating AI professionals who can immediately contribute in the industry.

As a result, for the 2025 first cohort, over 300 people applied for 120 available places, resulting in an average acceptance rate of 2.5 to 1. Of the 86 graduates, 69 out of the 80 eligible for employment successfully found jobs, achieving a final employment rate of 86%.

Going forward, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to continuously develop education programs addressing industry demand in collaboration with global companies. In addition, the city aims to strengthen corporate mentoring and job placement support to help trainees leverage their project experience for employment and entrepreneurship. Mayor Oh emphasized, "Through the excellent project exhibitions and growth stories, I was once again able to witness your passion and potential. We will continue to support all young people in utilizing generative AI, regardless of their economic circumstances, by guaranteeing fundamental AI rights for youth."

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