Seoul launches global marketer training program for international students

Sixty international students began training on Monday for a new city program designed to prepare them for careers in global marketing.

Launched by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul Global Marketer Training Program will provide 150 hours of training through the end of the year, including 118 hours of weekday lectures and 32 hours of weekend field classes.

Participants will attend classes at the Seoul Global Student Support Center in Sinchon, western Seoul, and take part in field classes at other locations across Seoul.

The selected students will learn practical trade skills, business-to-business and business-to-consumer global marketing, as well as AI and big data optimization. The program is designed to connect classroom learning with field trips, projects and employment opportunities, the city said.

After assessing hiring needs at export companies based in Seoul, the city will seek to connect participants with jobs that match their preferred fields and career interests.

Participants were selected based on their motivation, Korean-language proficiency, interest in working in Korea and interest in trade and marketing. About 83 percent of applicants had a Korean-language proficiency level of at least Level 3 on the Test of Proficiency in Korean, or Topik.

A total of 323 students from 53 countries applied during the program’s weeklong application period, according to the city government.

The initiative comes amid demand from both companies seeking international talent and international students hoping to work in Korea, the city said.

According to the Korea Federation of SMEs, 86.5 percent of international students said they wanted to work in Korea after graduation. Meanwhile, 49.5 percent of small- and medium-sized export companies said they were open to hiring foreign workers over the next three years, according to the Korea International Trade Association.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]