North Gyeongsang education office holds vocational fair to cultivate talent for physical AI era

The North Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education is holding the "2026 North Gyeongsang Provincial Office of Education Vocational Education Fair With Physical AI" at the Gyeongju HICO (Hwabaek International Convention Center) through Thursday, under the theme "North Gyeongsang Vocational Education Opening the Future with Physical AI," the office announced Wednesday.

The two-day fair was organized to help students experience future industrial technologies firsthand and explore new possibilities in vocational education, in line with the rapidly changing industrial landscape and the rise of AI.

It also serves as a career and employment platform connecting vocational high schools, special education schools, companies and students, while showcasing outstanding educational achievements from those institutions.

This year's fair drew participation from 54 vocational high schools and eight special education schools across the province. Some 3,153 students and teachers from 48 middle schools in the province attended through advance registration, joined by parents, local residents and business representatives.

The opening ceremony on the main stage on the third floor of HICO drew immediate attention when a humanoid robot personally escorted Superintendent Im Jong-sik in an eye-catching performance.

A ballet performance and joint dance routine featuring humanoid robots alongside student dance teams from provincial vocational high schools drew enthusiastic applause, presenting a vision of a future society where cutting-edge robotics and the arts coexist in harmony.

On the first floor of HICO, an on-site recruitment hall buzzed with energy as vocational high school students met with prospective employers.

On the third floor, a vocational education promotion hall operated alongside a booth for an international technology-sharing project linking overseas international students — the first initiative of its kind in the country — drawing considerable attention from visitors.

A global employment pavilion, featuring students set to be dispatched to Germany, Australia and Singapore, introduced overseas employment programs, global field learning opportunities and case studies of students hired by foreign companies, offering guidance for students planning international careers.

The physical AI experience zone, set up in the third-floor lobby of HICO, drew the most attention of any space at the fair.

"This fair is becoming a hub of innovation where students can directly experience the changes sweeping future industries and discover new possibilities, as we enter the era of physical AI — systems that perceive, judge and act in the real world," Superintendent Im said.