Fifty-three companies have been selected to participate in the K-New Deal Academy, a new youth-focused vocational training program launched in 2026 to help young people build job skills and enter the labor market through cooperation between the government and major corporations.
According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), unemployed young people can apply, with some exceptions such as current students. Participants will also receive training stipends based on attendance. Those in the Seoul metropolitan area can receive up to 300,000 won per month, while those in Non-metropolitan areas can receive up to 500,000 won. In addition to the stipends, the government will support the costs of operating the academies, offering greater assistance when programs are opened in Non-metropolitan areas to encourage more young people outside the capital region to take part.
The selected academies will offer programs in a wide range of fields, including culture and content, finance, and biotech, in addition to advanced technology areas that have traditionally been the focus of vocational training, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and semiconductors.
Lotte Group will take part in training young talent in the retail and hotel-service sectors.
It will launch 'Lift (LIFT, Lifetime Inspiration For Tomorrow),' a hands-on training program for job seekers. The slogan, 'Lift U & Your Tomorrow,' reflects the goal of supporting young people's growth and future planning.
The program will run two tracks: retail and hotel-service. Applications will be accepted from June 22 through July 26, and any unemployed young person may apply. A total of 270 participants will be recruited, with final candidates selected after document screening and interviews. Training will be held in Seoul and Busan from August through November.
Lotte Department Store, Lotte Mart, Lotte Super, Lotte Duty Free, and KOREA SEVEN will handle the retail track, while Lotte Hotel, LOTTE GRS, and Lotte JTB will run the hotel-service track. Graduates who complete the Lift program with outstanding results will also receive preferential treatment when applying for related affiliates and positions in the future.
A Lotte official said, "We are joining the K-New Deal program to help young people strengthen their job skills in retail and service, which are core businesses of the group." The official added, "We will spare no effort in supporting young people so they can grow while finding jobs, by providing practical training and employment consulting."
Shinsegae Group is also joining the K-New Deal Academy project, led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and MOEL, and will operate the 'Future & Dream Academy,' a customized vocational skills training program built on the group's corporate education infrastructure.
To encourage participation from young talent in Non-metropolitan areas, where access to job training opportunities is relatively limited, Shinsegae Group designed a curriculum that recruits all participants from outside the capital region. The program will train 400 people in total, with 200 in the first session and 200 in the second.
Four major affiliates within the group — E-Mart, Josun Hotels & Resorts, SHINSEGAE FOOD Inc., and Shinsegae I&C — will run the 'retail expert training' track.
The curriculum includes on-site visits to E-Mart stores and logistics centers, as well as food manufacturing plants, hotels, and data centers, so participants can better understand the retail industry in practice. Trainees will experience store operations firsthand through visits to major E-Mart and Traders locations, and they will also tour the Fresh Center, where know-how in fresh product storage and production is concentrated. In addition, they will take part in a hands-on program where they can make bakery products themselves. The course also includes hotel tours to help them learn the service mindset of hotel staff, along with visits to data centers, a key infrastructure in the AI era, giving them direct exposure to a range of industries.
Applications will be accepted from June 18 to July 13, with the second session open from June 18 to August 18. Final trainees will be selected through document screening and interviews. The training will be divided into two rounds. The first session will run from August 7 to October 30, and the second from September 9 to December 2. After the program ends, the top 5% of outstanding graduates will be offered immediate hiring, while the next 10% will receive benefits such as exemption from document screening.
A Shinsegae Group official said, "This Future & Dream Academy will give young job seekers an opportunity to build the skills needed to become retail experts." The official added, "Through customized programs for young people in Non-metropolitan areas, we will fulfill our corporate social responsibility by nurturing local talent and creating jobs."
Kim So-hyung, compact@sportschosun.com
