Samsung Globalizes and Localizes… including Education Programs

By now, hopefully you’ve heard of ‘Tech Institute’, one of the full-scale localized social initiatives by Samsung. Sure, the description may sound a bit ambitious, but what it is trying to address is very realistic. High unemployment is as real as it gets in many countries and Samsung has been collaborating with governments and educational facilities around the world to ease the nations’ unemployment rate through various educational programs; and we’re pleased to say it has generated solid results.

[new_royalslider id=”91″]

▲Samsung’s Various Education Programs related social initiative around the world

• Country: Japan

A major economic power and a developed country, Japan has a high life expectancy and a low infant mortality. However, it has been suffering from a high rate of youth unemployment. Due to the long recession for over 20 years, the problem  worsened and became a crucial issue. To ease the rate, Japan has set ‘developing IT talents’ as one of its top priorities.

[new_royalslider id=”93″]

Program: Tech Institute

Samsung found that Japan has seen significant increase in demand for application development, but lacks the infrastructure that can develop these talents. Collaborating with Waseda University (the second private university founded in Japan and one of Japan’s most prestigious universities) and Kadokawa ASCII Research Laboratories (an institute developing digital content and researching the consumer behavior and technology, located in Tokyo), Samsung Electronics Japan developed programs that focused on training ‘App Developers’ for high school and university students and adults.

Samsung Electronics Japan (SEJ) conducted Project Management and offered Tech Experts out of SEJ employees. Waseda University and Kadokawa ASCII Research Laboratories took on Student Management Program and Content Creation respectively. Furthermore, the government has also taken part: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, and Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications are supporting the program and managing a certification program for the graduates as well.

The reaction to the Tech Institute has been overwhelming and the competition rate was over 5 to 1. This program is expected to produce one hundred App Developers each year and be expanded outside Tokyo.

• Country: Turkey

Turkey is one of the countries where Samsung products are highly loved. In July, Enterprise Business Forum was held in Turkey in great success with Samsung’s various B2B solutions. In Turkey, Samsung is delivering a special education program to solve the same problem of high youth unemployment rate that Turkey has been going through.

[new_royalslider id=”92″]

Program: Samsung Academy

To help youth in Turkey get employed, Samsung thought that it could contribute to Turkey’s effort in improving education for high school kids. Through a strict qualification process and close cooperation with the Turkish government, starting ITO High School in Istanbul in 2012, Yenimahalle High School in Ankara and Çınarlı High School in Izmir were selected for the Samsung Academy program in 2013.

A total of 580 junior and senior high school students were selected for the program, which emphasized electrical and electronic engineering. They participated in the 10-month program, where they got to learn theories and practices related to digital appliances, audio/video and IT devices, which are some of Samsung’s specialties. Students were also provided with an employment support program, such as a mentor system, and internship opportunities. All students who successfully finished the program received official certifications approved under Ministry of Education & Samsung that could be used on their resumes.

Samsung has invested $3,200,000,000 in Samsung Academy program in Turkey and this year, they have a total of 720 graduates from a total of three academies including the one that has been initiated in Istanbul.

• Country: Russia

Many tech-specialized education programs and facilities were lacking in the Commonwealth of Independent States region of Russia. Especially since people were avoiding blue-collar jobs, Russia’s service industry was lacking engineers.

Program: Tech Institute

Moscow suggested that Samsung establish an education program where it could curate technicians, engineers, and service specialist. Through close collaboration with the government, Samsung established a Tech Institute that consisted of 5 product-specialized advanced education facilities and one Smart School at the end of 2013. Courses on home appliances, TVs and more were provided to job searchers, college students, and engineers. Certifications were provided at the end of the program.

So far, 1677 people have successfully finished the program. A total of 4,492 people are expected to participate in the program. Samsung also plans to add a junior/intern course for the program. In the next 5 years, Samsung expects to curate about 20,000 technicians, engineers, and service specialists.

So what do you think? Samsung is currently managing various education initiatives around the world to help solve the problem of talent deficiency in the tech industry. Do you still think the description ‘full-scale localized social initiatives’ is too much? In the end, as long as the communities can benefit from these programs, it doesn’t really matter how one describes it. One thing we can hope is that these programs to expand and affect more people.