Kakao Showcases 'Kakao Tech Bootcamp' at APEC Employment & Labor Expo

Kakao Presents 'Digital Talent Development' Model at APEC Stage... Garners Global Attention Kakao drew the attention of the international community by showcasing its core digital talent development program, 'Kakao Tech Bootcamp,' at a side event of the 'APEC Labor and Employment Ministerial Meeting' held at the Jeju International Convention Center from May 6 to 12. Invited by the Ministry of Employment and Labor as an excellent example of private-sector collaboration in its exhibition, Kakao directly presented the program to delegates from 21 APEC member economies, especially ministers from key countries like Chile and Malaysia in the employment and labor sector, leaving a deep impression. Operated under the slogan 'Closer, Kakao,' the 'Kakao Tech Bootcamp' is a co-prosperous talent development program that fosters developers immediately deployable in practical work. Selected as a leading digital academy project by the Ministry of Employment and Labor starting in 2024, it offers various educational courses, including AI and full-stack development, twice a year in 6-month cycles. To date, it has produced approximately 250 graduates and aims to cultivate a cumulative total of 1,000 practically-oriented development talents by 2026. Kakao emphasized that this bootcamp will serve as an important model for proactively responding to changes in the future labor market and contributing to sustainable job creation. Meanwhile, Kakao also participated in the 'International Forum on Disability Employment,' held during the same period, expanding its scope of inclusive social contribution. Kim Hye-il, Kakao's Head of Digital Accessibility, attended as a panelist and introduced efforts to improve accessibility for major services like KakaoTalk and Kakao Map, as well as the Kakao Braille Calendar case, which expands the user experience for visually impaired individuals. Furthermore, by sharing the operational cases and achievements of Linkage Lab for employing people with disabilities in IT roles, it aligned with the forum's theme of enhancing accessibility through technology and expanding employment for people with disabilities, providing an opportunity to reaffirm Kakao's social responsibility. Through its participation in the APEC meeting, Kakao had a significant opportunity to inform the international community about its efforts in digital talent development and the realization of an inclusive society, and stated that it would continue to expand practice-oriented IT education in the future.