Settings

ⓕ font-size

  • -2
  • -1
  • 0
  • +1
  • +2

Samsung offers mentoring, career program to young students

  • Facebook share button
  • Twitter share button
  • Kakao share button
  • Mail share button
  • Link share button
Samsung Electronics' engineers and students from Cheorwon Middle School pose at the company's headquarters in Suwon, June 16. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics' engineers and students from Cheorwon Middle School pose at the company's headquarters in Suwon, June 16. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

By Baek Byung-yeul

Logo for Samsung Electronics / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Logo for Samsung Electronics / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Samsung Electronics offered a rare opportunity for middle school students who are thinking about what to do in the future or how to design their career paths by having the tech company's employees listen to their worries and provided advice, according to the company, Sunday.

On June 16, Samsung invited 25 second-grade students from Cheorwon Middle School in Gangwon Province to participate in Samsung's corporate social responsibility (CSR) program Samsung Dream Class 2.0, in Suwon City where the tech company's headquarters are located.

The Dream Class is one of Samsung's corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs in education. In 2021, the company launched the 2.0 Dream Class program in order to close the opportunities gap by offering not only basic educational programs such as learning English or math but also providing more chances such as career path design.

"The meetings between Samsung employees and the middle school students were arranged to give the students the chance to ask questions about their Samsun Electronics employees' careers and share experiences and advice," a company spokesman said.

"What do we need to be an IT developer? Or what's your department responsible for? These were the questions that the students asked when they met Noh Eun-jung, an engineer working for Samsung's mobile platform center in MX division," the official added.

A Samsung Electronics engineer provides career advice to Cheorwon Middle School students at the company's headquarters in Suwon, June 16. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics
A Samsung Electronics engineer provides career advice to Cheorwon Middle School students at the company's headquarters in Suwon, June 16. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

Lee Joon-seo, a student who dreams of becoming an artificial intelligence (AI) developer, said "I want to work in AI-related fields, but I am worried that there aren't many AI departments in local universities yet."

In response to the student's question, Noh said, "It is not necessary to major in AI technology in university to work in the AI field," and added, "In fact, Samsung Electronics has employees from various fields of study who are collaborating for AI development such as staff who are involved with computer, mechanical, electrical and data engineering."

She also told the students, "I recommend exploring what you like and what you are good at first. After that, if you go deep into a more professional area, you will be able to find a lot of opportunities."

Not all students wanted to be IT developers. The students gave their own answers, including wanting to become a baseball player, a doctor, a baker, a white hat hacker and a creator. Some students said they were not sure what they want to become yet.

Kim Hae-hyub, another mentor working in Samsung's MX division, said "It's great for them to have a specific dream, but I don't want everyone to feel pressured to have one right now. I think the pressure to answer the question regarding their future dream and sticking to it can rather narrow their vision and path."

"As a dream class mentor, I feel the students are still young enough to have experiences and think about their future; I feel responsible for helping them always open the door to possibilities," he added.


Baek Byung-yeul baekby@koreatimes.co.kr


X
CLOSE

Top 10 Stories

go top LETTER