SK Group opens SKALA AI training campus in Ulsan

Ulsan has taken a step toward offering world-class practical AI education and local employment pathways, raising expectations that regional companies will be better able to secure AI talent while more young people choose to settle in the city.

The city of Ulsan, SK AX and Ulsan Science University held an opening ceremony for the SKALA (SK AI Leader Academy) Ulsan Campus at Ulsan Science University's East Campus on Wednesday morning, signing a government-industry-academia MOU at the same event. Deputy Mayor for Administration Seo Nam-gyo, SK AX corporate culture division head Park Jong-su and Ulsan Science University President Cho Hong-rae were among those in attendance.

The three parties agreed to continuously develop AI specialists needed by local industry through their government-industry-academia partnership. Under the MOU, the city of Ulsan will provide administrative and policy support for nurturing local talent, SK AX will operate the curriculum and deliver practical training, and Ulsan Science University will supply the educational facilities.

SKALA launched in 2024 at its Pangyo Campus in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. The program is a job-linked practical AI training course designed and run by active SK AX professionals, and it stands apart in that SK Group both trains and hires the graduates directly. The program offers fully subsidized tuition, a monthly scholarship of 1.5 million won ($1,010), a monthly education support allowance of up to 500,000 won and one-on-one mentoring from working professionals — all designed to let participants focus entirely on their studies.

The curriculum covers AI web service design as a foundational course for AI services, data analysis, generative AI service development and a team project in generative AI service development — all structured around practical skills that can be applied immediately in the workplace.

Hands-on, field-oriented training is the program's core strength. The course materials and curriculum were designed by active SK professionals. Participants gain practical skills and know-how needed on the job through team projects and close mentoring from working professionals, in addition to the regular coursework.

An SK AX official said: "SKALA is an education program that develops practice-ready talent, and its strength lies in the fact that all instructors are current employees who teach the technologies and know-how used in the field — from the basics up, in a systematic way, so that trainees can build real working skills. With the opening of the Ulsan Campus in addition to the Pangyo Campus, young people in the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region will have much better access to the program."

With the Ulsan Campus now open, 130 young people selected through open recruitment last month will train in Ulsan for five months starting this month through Dec. 11.

The city of Ulsan sees the SKALA Ulsan Campus as a stable hub for supplying AI specialists, while also laying the groundwork for "Ulsan Industrial AI Transformation (AX)" — a flagship policy of the current city administration.

"In an era where artificial intelligence determines industrial competitiveness, people matter most — and ultimately, talent decides the future of a city," Deputy Mayor Seo said. "We will use the opening of the SKALA Ulsan Campus as an opportunity to strengthen the government-industry-academia cooperative ecosystem and develop Ulsan into South Korea's leading industrial AI city."