Pohang Has an 'Apple School'... "100,000 Won Monthly, MacBook and iPhone Also Provided"

Nurturing Talent at the 'Apple Developer Academy'
Team Projects and Mentoring Classes Over 9 Months
Learn Collaboration and App Development... 4th Cohort Recruitment Next Month

On the 24th, four graduates of the 'Apple Developer Academy' shared their experiences of the nine-month training program held in Pohang with the audience at Apple Myeongdong.
[Photo by Apple]

In Pohang City, Gyeongbuk Province, there is a so-called 'Apple School' established through a partnership between Apple and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). Anyone dreaming of becoming an IT professional in areas such as application (app) development, design, or service planning (PM) can apply. The official name is the 'Apple Developer Academy.' Over nine months, participants work in teams to create apps and receive one-on-one mentoring from active industry professionals.

The academy operates in 18 locations across 8 countries worldwide, and Korea opened its first branch in 2022. On the 24th, an event was held at the Apple Store in Myeongdong, Seoul, where four academy graduates shared their experiences.

Lee Jun-young (28), the CEO of the startup 'Nears' and a graduate of the first class, said in an interview with Asia Economy, "After graduating from the Department of Industrial Engineering at Pusan National University and contemplating my career path, I heard about the opening of the academy and decided to apply." He added, "I will never forget the times spent collaborating and brainstorming with my team members through the night."

The academy is said to have a culture of "it's okay to fail." Since challenges inevitably come with failures, the aim is to foster a mindset that embraces bold challenges rather than fearing failure. Lee said, "We freely shared our stories of failure and what we learned from those experiences," adding, "As a result, it enabled me to take on the challenge of starting a startup."

Lee Jun-young, CEO of Nears and a graduate of the 1st class of Apple Developer Academy, is introducing the application "Merging" that he planned.

Upon completing the academy, he developed a developer-exclusive social networking app called 'Merging,' which was also registered on the App Store. He described it as "a playground for developers." Lee was also named among the 350 awardees at the student developer competition held ahead of Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) last year.

Kim Ha-eun (23), a student developer at Handong University and a graduate of the academy's second class, was introduced to Apple's coding language 'Swift' for the first time through the program. He explained, "Besides coding, I studied various practical subjects such as design, marketing, and business methodologies that can be applied to real businesses." He developed 'Outline,' the only app in Korea that allows users to draw pictures on courses using GPS while running. He recalled, "It started from the idea of enjoying running artistically," and added, "I personally ran the courses to verify whether the slopes were steep or if there were any obstacles."

He is currently developing a virtual reality (VR) game for children with ADHD as his graduation project. He said, "I was fortunate to receive an educational opportunity from Apple, and just as I am discovering myself, I want to become a developer who gives others the chance to discover their potential."

Apple Developer Academy 2nd batch graduate developer Kim Ha-eun is introducing the application she developed, "Outline."

An Apple representative explained, "We select a total of 200 people per cohort and provide a monthly learning support fund of 1 million KRW, Apple devices such as MacBooks and iPhones, and dormitory accommodations." He added, "Academy members are so passionate that they hold team meetings overnight and even form small groups for activities like band or surfing. We create an environment where they can try what they want to do."

Seventeen mentors from various fields reside on-site to provide close coaching to academy students. Reflecting Apple's philosophy that "learning is lifelong," they call each other 'Learners.' Mentors are 'Senior Learners,' and students are 'Junior Learners.' Since graduates in their 40s and 50s also emerge, it seems that learning truly has no end. The Apple Developer Academy will begin recruiting its 2025 students (4th cohort) from the 2nd of next month.