Seo-gu, Gwangju Launches First 'Senior AI Digital Job Center' in the Honam Region

[Financial News, Jeonnam-Gwangju = Hwang Tae-jong] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, has begun full-scale operations of the 'Senior AI Digital Job Center,' the first of its kind in the Honam region, to help middle-aged and older adults build digital capabilities and support their job search and entrepreneurship.
 According to Seo-gu on the 26th, the district held an opening ceremony the previous day at the job center created by remodeling the former Nongseong 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center at 314 Hwajeong-ro. About 30 people attended, including Seo-gu Mayor Kim I-gang, Woo Seung-gu, vice president of Hana Bank's Honam Sales Group, and participants in senior social contribution programs.
 The job center will help middle-aged and older adults learn new technologies and connect their existing careers and experience to new jobs, in line with the rapid spread of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.
 Seo-gu began remodeling the former Nongseong 2-dong Administrative Welfare Center in December last year in partnership with Hana Financial Group, creating a 402.5-square-meter facility across the first and second floors. The first floor includes two classrooms and a coworking lounge, while the second floor has two community rooms, a small lecture room and a healing lounge, providing space not only for education but also for networking, rest and preparation for new work and activities.
 In particular, the district plans to operate customized support programs for middle-aged and older adults based on a diagnosis-education-job placement and entrepreneurship linkage model. To this end, it will first assess participants' understanding of AI and digital skills, then connect them with training programs suited to their individual levels and careers, while also providing a step-by-step roadmap.
 It will also run regular training courses in partnership with Hana Financial Group. Major programs include AI Data Labeler, AI Literacy Instructor, Travel Planner and Career Expert Accelerator. The goal is to help participants build new job skills and use their existing experience to move into employment or start a business.
 The district also plans to strengthen cooperation with local universities and operate step-by-step academies such as Digital Playground, Practical AI Training, Alley Commercial District AI Marketer Training and AI Business and EASY Startup School, offering systematic support from digital basics to practical use and entrepreneurship.
 In addition, it will work with related institutions such as the Gwangju Middle-Aged and Older Workers Tomorrow Center to support career transitions and life planning, while also offering programs such as humanities lectures to help participants lead more fulfilling lives.
 Kim I-gang, mayor of Seo-gu, said, "Even as the AI era becomes part of everyday life, human experience and the ability to learn cannot be replaced." He added, "Based on those strengths, we will help create new jobs through AI and ensure those jobs become a positive force that contributes to the local community."

[email protected] Hwang Tae-jong Reporter