Training 160,000 New Industry Talents in Metaverse, Renewable Energy, and More

Government-Wide Collaborative Budget Set at 1.6 Trillion Won... 36% Increase Compared to This Year

On the 25th of last month, visitors at the Digital Transformation Expo held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, examined the 3D hologram solution HyperVision. Approximately 175 domestic small and venture companies and startups participated in the exhibition across five fields: artificial intelligence (AI), big data, cloud, Internet of Things·5G, and metaverse, demonstrating various products and services. /Goyang=Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The government announced that it will invest a budget of approximately 1.6 trillion KRW next year to train 160,000 talents in new technology fields such as the metaverse and new and renewable energy.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 14th, the 1.62 trillion KRW "New Technology Workforce Training Collaborative Budget," jointly prepared by 17 related ministries, was approved at the National Assembly plenary session on the 3rd.

The new technology fields selected by the government include 20 areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Metaverse, general software (including blockchain), 3D printing, intelligent robots and aerial drones, and new and renewable energy. In particular, 68.2% of the total budget was allocated to digital fields with a shortage of personnel, such as AI, Big Data, and Metaverse. The related budget was significantly expanded to increase training programs led by companies and supported by the government.

2022 Collaboration Budget Allocation in New Technology Sector. (Data from Ministry of Employment and Labor)

The government has been organizing the collaborative budget since this year. Next year's budget increased by 36.3% compared to this year (1.1885 trillion KRW). The number of budgeted fields expanded from 6 to 20, and the number of target projects increased significantly from 30 to 140. Looking at the related budget by ministry for next year, the Ministry of Employment and Labor leads with 497.8 billion KRW, followed by the Ministry of Science and ICT (453.5 billion KRW), the Ministry of Education (297.9 billion KRW), and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (183 billion KRW).

Ryu Kyung-hee, Director of the Vocational Competency Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, said, "We will faithfully execute the allocated budget to timely train new technology personnel needed by the industrial field."