Working professionals from advanced industries — including AI, battery, semiconductor and shipbuilding — will meet directly with young job seekers to explain what their jobs actually involve and what hiring managers look for, information that is difficult to find through internet searches alone.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT) announced Tuesday that they will hold the "2026 AI × Advanced Industries Joint Job Information Fair" at the Park Hyatt Busan in Haeundae-gu, Busan, from Aug. 27 to 28.
The event was organized jointly by the sector councils (SC) for six advanced industries: biohealth, AI, shipbuilding, battery, display and semiconductor. The SCs are industry-led private consultative bodies responsible for identifying workforce demand and conducting labor supply surveys within their respective sectors.
Competition for talent in advanced industries has intensified in recent years, yet a persistent mismatch remains between what companies want and what job seekers can offer. Companies seek candidates who can step into hands-on roles immediately, while job seekers have few opportunities to experience actual work or get specific information directly from people already in the field.
The challenge has grown as generative AI and AI-based hiring assessments reshape how candidates prepare for jobs. Beyond academic credentials and résumé qualifications, the ability to apply AI tools to real work tasks and problem-solving is becoming increasingly important.
The two-day program will include company-by-company hiring process briefings, panel talks with current employees, and special lectures on AI and job hunting. A total of 22 advanced-industry companies will participate, covering key roles in production, quality control, regulatory affairs and research and development (R&D).
In the biohealth sector, participating companies are SK Bioscience, Btigen, Osstem Implant and Chabiotech. Three companies will represent the AI sector, including SK AX and Upstage. HD Hyundai Heavy, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries will take part from the shipbuilding sector.
On the battery side, LG Energy Solution, Posco Future M, L&F and Apro will participate. The display sector will be represented by four companies, including Dongjin Semichem, Sunic System and Advanced Process Systems, while four companies — including Jemco and IQ Lab — will join from the semiconductor sector.
On the first day, Aug. 27, the program will open with a special lecture analyzing AI hiring processes, followed by job sessions covering the biohealth, AI and shipbuilding sectors. The lecture, titled "Mastering AI Hiring Assessments," will be delivered by Son Seong-yong, chief executive of Into Management Research Institute. Son will walk attendees through how AI interviews are evaluated, the latest hiring trends and practical strategies for candidates.
The panel discussions will feature working engineers from each industry, who will explain from the floor how the latest technological changes are affecting day-to-day work and what competencies each role demands. Sessions will also cover the AI sector — newly added to the program this year — and the shipbuilding industry, which has entered a new supercycle.
The second day, Aug. 28, will focus on the battery, display and semiconductor sectors. The day's special lecture will be led by Kwon Seo-rim, a consultant and guest lecturer for Google Korea who authored a guide to using Gemini. The session will cover practical applications of AI agents in the workplace.
Kwon plans to show students how to use AI agents to boost efficiency and solve problems in academic projects and future professional settings. Afterward, working professionals from the battery, display and semiconductor sectors will share hands-on advice for candidates preparing for second-half hiring cycles.
Holding the event in Busan is itself a deliberate choice. The organizers aim to broaden access to advanced-industry career information beyond the Greater Seoul area and give young job seekers in the southeastern region a chance to engage directly with industry professionals.
The event is open to job seekers hoping to enter advanced industries, as well as undergraduate and graduate students in related fields. Admission is free, and applications will be accepted through the registration website until Aug. 21.
kwater@heraldcorp.com
