From IT Wasteland to AI Talent Hub: Spotlight on Webcash HRD Center

Keun Saksoneata is currently conducting research in Smart Farm artificial intelligence, Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, and food safety analysis at graduate school. Although these are challenging fields even for Koreans, she develops models for predicting agricultural yields, drug dosage estimation, and root cause analysis using AI. Furthermore, she is involved in projects such as a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) system to support international students and the development of a chatbot for the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia.
The starting point for her diverse and specialized IT work was the Webcash HRD Center. Established in Cambodia by Webcash Group in 2013, the Webcash HRD Center is a global IT talent development institution. It aims to improve Cambodia’s underdeveloped software education environment and provide greater opportunities to outstanding local talent. Keun Saksoneata is one such beneficiary.
She explained, "Although I never had the chance to create anything with IT as a child, I was always curious about computers and technology and interested in solving problems through technology." This curiosity eventually led her to apply to the Webcash HRD Center.
She added, "During my university years, I first learned about the Webcash HRD Center in Cambodia by attending a promotional workshop. I wanted to gain practical experience by participating in real projects, not just theoretical studies, so I decided to apply."
At the center, she gained comprehensive hands-on experience, from service planning to development, which paved the way for her graduate studies in Korea. The research she is currently conducting is part of her Ph.D. program in Big Data at CBNU.
"I wanted to gain more systematic research and practical experience in AI and Big Data, and I believed that graduate schools in Korea, with their industry-linked research environments, were the best fit for my goals," she noted. "The most meaningful experience was seeing my research results go beyond papers or code and become projects actually used by farms or institutions."
What is even more remarkable is that she now teaches students herself. Currently, she lectures on Big Data programming and predictive analytics at CBNU.
She expressed her ambition, saying, "By continuing research that uses AI and Big Data technologies to solve real-world industrial and social problems, I hope to contribute to nurturing practical talent through both research and education. I want to show that anyone can grow in the IT and AI fields through persistent learning and challenges, even without a special background or early experience."
Each year, the Webcash HRD Center selects the top 3% of IT majors from leading universities and provides them with advanced software education free of charge. The center has now established itself as Cambodia’s premier IT educational institution.
She advised her juniors at the Webcash HRD Center in Cambodia, "You don’t have to be perfect from the start; I want to encourage you to stay curious and keep challenging yourselves. Small experiences eventually lead to great opportunities."
jiany@fnnews.com Yeon Ji-an Reporter