Dongducheon to host 2026 career exploration fair Sept. 19

Dongducheon will host the 2026 Dongducheon Career Exploration Fair at the Dongducheon Civic Center on Sept. 19, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Held under the theme "AI and Future Jobs," the fair targets children and youth in the city and will operate 67 hands-on and counseling booths covering AI and career experiences, career mentoring, college and career counseling, and career events, offering young participants a wide range of opportunities to explore their futures.

The fair will feature career experience programs linked to future industries, allowing youth to try their hand at roles such as robot engineer, AI specialist, coding expert, VR specialist, pilot and drone operator — giving them a firsthand look at how the job market is evolving in the AI era. The programs are designed to help young people discover careers that match their aptitudes and interests as they explore emerging and changing occupations in future society.

This year's fair was also shaped by an online career-interest survey conducted in March, in which 1,086 young people took part. Drawing on those results, organizers put together hands-on programs in high-demand fields such as pastry chef, barista and animator, alongside a broad range of other vocational experiences — encouraging participants to go beyond simply learning about jobs and instead discover their own interests and strengths through direct engagement.

Alongside this, the fair will offer programs that blend fun and hands-on learning, including smart archery, drone soccer and career tarot. The lineup is designed to help youth naturally broaden their understanding of the working world through play and experience, including fields they may not have previously considered.

"This fair goes beyond simple job experiences — it is a place where young people can explore the changing world of work in the AI era and chart their own paths," Dongducheon Mayor Park Hyeong-deok said. "We incorporated the voices of 1,086 young people to build programs that reflect their interests and needs, and I hope this becomes a time for them to discover their own potential and envision their future through a wide range of experiences."

No advance registration is required — visitors are welcome to drop in and participate freely on the day. For more information, contact the Dongducheon Career Exploration Support Center.