Undergraduates to Gain Experience as Seoul Launches "Young Careers" Initiative

Systematic Support Starting from First- and Second-Year University Students
Internships Offering Academic Credits During the Semester
Job Training Provided for Unemployed Graduates

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching the "Seoul Young Careers" initiative, offering university students opportunities to gain hands-on experience through field training and internships. The program provides step-by-step support for students, from career exploration to internships and post-graduation job preparation.

On November 19, the city announced "Seoul Young Careers," a new youth employment project that is a key part of the "3rd Basic Youth Policy Plan." During the announcement event, Seoul Mayor Oh Sehoon and university students held an open talk to discuss youth employment and the realities of the job market.

"Young Careers" is a portmanteau of "young," "career," and "experience," and serves as an integrated internship platform for young people in Seoul. The goal is to help students explore career paths and strengthen practical skills while still in university. The city developed Young Careers in response to the persistent gap between companies’ demand for work-ready talent and the lack of practical opportunities available to young people.

The Young Careers program will start with 6,000 participants next year and plans to expand to 16,000 by 2030. The program consists of five stages: Stage 1 Camp, Stage 2 Challenge, Stage 3 Internship I, Stage 4 Internship II, and Stage 5 Jump Up.

Stage 1 Camp targets first- and second-year university students as well as young people not attending university. Before building a formal career, participants undergo AI competency assessments and receive mentoring from professionals to explore suitable career paths and job roles.

In Stage 2 Challenge, aimed at second- and third-year university students, participants build portfolios by pursuing the career paths and job roles identified during the camp. Students select companies and project topics of interest and solve real-world tasks, developing into "practical talent."

In the Internship phase (Stages 3 and 4), young people gain work experience at companies. Notably, the internship is operated as a "field training semester system," allowing students to earn up to 18 academic credits while gaining work experience and building their careers simultaneously.

The final stage, Stage 5 Jump Up, is designed for young people who have not found employment after graduation. It offers employment support programs such as the Youth Job Academy and Future Youth Jobs. The program provides opportunities for work experience in promising job fields, large corporations, and startups, as well as job skills training tailored to trends like AI development and digital transformation.

Next month, the city plans to recruit participating companies for Internship II (in-semester internships) from a pool of 3,500 companies and 13 public institutions, with full-scale operations beginning next spring. To this end, the city has signed MOUs with 31 universities and completed the formation of a university consortium. The preliminary stages of the internship program (Stages 1 and 2) are also scheduled to begin next spring.