{"slug": "ulsan-joins-sks-push-to-train-ai-talent", "title": "Ulsan joins SK’s push to train AI talent", "summary": "Ulsan and SK AX launched the SK AI Leader Academy (SKALA) at Ulsan College to train AI professionals outside Seoul, offering a five-month employment-linked program with full scholarships and stipends. The initiative aims to connect AI training with local employment and encourage young professionals to remain in Ulsan.", "body_md": "SK program is open to applicants of all nationalities, places of residence\n\nUlsan, together with SK AX, launched the SK AI Leader Academy on Wednesday as part of efforts to nurture industry-ready artificial intelligence professionals outside the Seoul metropolitan area.\n\nThe employment-linked AI training program, known as SKALA, combines practical AI training with recruitment opportunities. Its five-month curriculum was developed by SK AX, SK Group’s AI transformation affiliate, and will be delivered by instructors from the company.\n\nThe academy will run at Ulsan College twice a year over the next five years. Participants will be able to use college facilities such as cafeterias and sports amenities under the same conditions as enrolled students, the college told The Korea Herald.\n\nThe city said 130 students were selected for the inaugural class.\n\nApplicants are selected through an online application and interview process conducted by SK AX. The company told The Korea Herald that the program is open to all qualified applicants, regardless of nationality or place of residence.\n\nParticipants receive full tuition scholarships and a monthly stipend of up to 1.5 million won ($1,000). They will also be paired with mentors from SK Group and receive preferential consideration in the company’s recruitment process.\n\nUnder the partnership, Ulsan will provide administrative and policy support, SK AX will oversee the curriculum and hands-on training, and Ulsan College will provide the facilities.\n\nThe city said the academy marks the expansion of SK Group’s AI education initiative beyond Greater Seoul, which includes Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. It aims to connect AI training with local employment and encourage young professionals to remain in Ulsan.\n\n“At a time when artificial intelligence determines industrial competitiveness, people are the most important asset, and ultimately talent shapes a city’s future,” Ulsan Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Seo Nam-gyo said.\n\n“SKALA’s Ulsan campus will provide local young people with top-tier AI education and employment opportunities while supplying regional companies with the skilled professionals needed to drive industrial AI transformation.”\n\nSK AX said it has also launched a similar program in Gwangju.\n\nseungku99@heraldcorp.com", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ulsan-joins-sks-push-to-train-ai-talent", "canonical_source": "https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10809801", "published_at": "2026-07-15 05:19:44+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-07-15 05:22:24.124461+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["artificial-intelligence", "ai-policy"], "entities": ["Ulsan", "SK AX", "SK Group", "Ulsan College", "SK AI Leader Academy", "SKALA", "Seo Nam-gyo", "The Korea Herald"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ulsan-joins-sks-push-to-train-ai-talent", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ulsan-joins-sks-push-to-train-ai-talent.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ulsan-joins-sks-push-to-train-ai-talent.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/ulsan-joins-sks-push-to-train-ai-talent.jsonld"}}