"Fostering ICT Talent in the Southeast Region"… KAIT Signs MOU with Busan Catholic University

Signed MOU to Strengthen Southeast Region ICT Capabilities
"Contributing to Local ICT Industry Base and Economic Development"

The Korea Association for ICT Promotion (KAIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the 5th with the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Busan Catholic University to foster ICT talent in the southeastern region.

Through this agreement, both parties agreed to promote ▲education to strengthen ICT capabilities tailored to regional characteristics ▲a cooperative network to revitalize the ICT industry in the southeastern region ▲and the discovery of various new projects for ICT talent development.

Han Moon-seung, Head of the Korea Information and Communication Promotion Association (center), and Han Jung-won, Professor at Busan Catholic University (second from the left), are posing for a commemorative photo at the business agreement ceremony for fostering ICT talent in the southeastern region held at Busan Catholic University on the 5th.

Since 2020, KAIT has been carrying out the 'Southeastern Region ICT Innovation Square Project' together with Busan City, Ulsan City, Gyeongsangnam-do, and the Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency.

Through this, they have promoted ▲ICT business model idea competitions ▲employment competency enhancement programs for local job seekers ▲and off-campus training programs that allow practical experience within local companies to be credited academically.

Among the graduates of the Southeastern Region ICT Innovation Square program, more than 10 have received awards such as the Excellent Paper Award (from the Korea Industrial Convergence Society, etc.), and over the past two years, about 50 participants have been matched with local companies for employment.

Mr. Park, a program graduate last year, expressed satisfaction, saying, "The close guidance from the organizers and the supervising professors was very beneficial, and through actual work experience, I was able to clearly experience the practical talent profile that companies desire."

A representative from Bronet, an AI smart manufacturing specialized company participating in the off-campus training for the second year, stated, "This is a model case of industry-academic cooperation that resolves the manpower shortage in the southeastern region and allows participating students to become competitive talent," expressing hope for continued participation in this project.

Prior to this agreement, KAIT also signed MOUs this year with the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundations of Dongmyung University, Changwon National University, Dongseo University, and Ulsan University. It is expected that this agreement will lead to various development plans such as strengthening project connectivity and strategic alliances to expand the ICT industry base in the region.

Han Moon-seung, Head of KAIT's ICT Infrastructure Division, stated, "Innovative educational programs that cultivate talent needed by companies through cooperation with universities will play the most critical role in the regional ICT industry base and economic development."

Han Jeong-won, Director of the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation at Busan Catholic University, said, "Through this agreement, we will strengthen the cultivation and cooperation of region-customized ICT experts by combining advanced trends and education."