Over 600 Participants from 16 Countries
6 Events Including AI Utilization Skills
LG Electronics announced on the 17th that it held the preliminary round of the '2024 Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC).' The preliminaries took place over two days, from the 16th to the 17th, in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.
Korean disabled youth participating in the preliminary round held on the 16th in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, are taking the 'PowerPoint Utilization Skills Assessment.' [Photo by LG Electronics]
GITC has been held since 2011. Over 13 years, more than 5,000 youths from 40 countries have participated.
This year, the event is hosted by LG, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Philippine government, and organized by LG Electronics, the GITC Organizing Committee, and the Philippine National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA). Approximately 600 participants from 16 countries took part.
This year, generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies such as OpenAI ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini were added as new evaluation criteria.
Participants who pass the preliminaries will compete in the finals held from November 3 to 8 in Manila, Philippines. Certificates and prize money will be awarded to the overall winner as well as outstanding participants by category and disability type.
IT education for Korean youth with disabilities is also being conducted. LG Electronics, in cooperation with the Korea Disabled Rehabilitation Association, provides participants with various activities to strengthen their IT capabilities. The education curriculum is designed in levels?basic, practical, and advanced?to help participants progressively and effectively enhance their skills.
GITC supports participants' social advancement. Paramuditaya, a visually impaired individual selected as a GITC Global IT Leader in 2015, completed a long-term IT education program supported by a scholarship from the Indonesian government after participating in the competition. He is now working as an IT developer at the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy.
Yoon Dae-sik, Executive Vice President of External Cooperation at LG Electronics, said, "We will support youth with disabilities to quickly acquire the IT skills necessary in the rapidly evolving AI era, overcoming the barriers of disability and borders."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
