As artificial intelligence (AI) transforms the job market and career development for young people, the government, businesses, and social enterprises are seeking solutions to expand job opportunities through work experience and entrepreneurship.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry co-hosted the 'Youth Employment Forum in the AI Era' on September 22 at COEX in Seoul. This forum is part of the '3rd Korea Social Value Festa,' which runs from September 21 to 22 at COEX.
The forum featured two sessions: the first focused on diagnosing youth employment issues in the AI era and examining the roles of government and businesses, while the second explored new job possibilities through work experience and entrepreneurship in social enterprises.
In the first session, Jang Ji-yeon, a senior researcher at the Korea Labor Institute, presented on the current status and challenges of youth employment in the AI era. Kim Min-hwan, vice president of SK AX, shared examples of corporate initiatives aimed at addressing youth employment issues, and Lee Sang-bok, head of the Human Resource Development Division at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, discussed the current status and plans for supporting youth employment from business associations in the AI era.
The session was moderated by Jeong Heung-jun, a professor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology, and included discussions with Lee Young-min, a professor at Sookmyung Women's University; Kim Bom-i, head of the Youth Center at the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training; and Jeong Hyung-woo, CEO of Cognizant Korea, on collaborative strategies to support young people's smooth entry into the labor market and ongoing career development.
The second session focused on solving youth employment issues through work experience and entrepreneurship in social enterprises. Lee Jae-heung, a member of the National AI Strategy Committee, proposed new job creation possibilities by linking social solidarity economy with AI transformation (AX). Kim Jeong-tae, CEO of MYSC, suggested the need for a new system to measure and trade the social outcomes generated by youth employment.
Representatives from social enterprise support organizations, including Sinnaen Cooperative and Imagination Our, which supports youth work experience, as well as Outfit Code, a company participating in entrepreneurship support projects, shared on-site examples and proposed improvements to existing systems.
Lim Young-mi, head of the Employment Policy Office at the Ministry of Labor, stated, 'We must work together to ensure that the changes brought by the AI era become opportunities for challenge and growth rather than vague anxiety for young people.' She added, 'The government will actively support the expansion of work experience and entrepreneurship opportunities for youth, providing comprehensive assistance from job preparation to labor market entry and career development, allowing them to fully realize their potential.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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