SSAFY graduates successfully land jobs as developers
US high school students develop a gunshot detection and evacuation system.
Digital education for the students and teachers of India
Samsung SW Academy for Youth (SSAFY) is part of Samsung’s CSR program helping the young generation shine in the job market by providing advanced software education and employment services. Every year, SSAFY supports software developers in strengthening their practical skills through intense SW training and hands-on projects.
Since its launch in December 2018, SSAFY has nurtured a total of 3,678 graduates in six rounds, of which 2,770 students were employed at 730 companies, achieving an employment rate of 75%.
Hyunji Kim joined the fourth round of SSAFY after completing a degree in urban sociology. Dreaming of becoming an IT business consultant, she wanted to broaden her boundaries with SW skills. “SSAFY was the place where I could be re-born as ‘Hyunji 2.0’,” said Hyunji who, before the program, had zero background in IT. Through participation in SSAFY’s various coding and other technology-focused classes and receiving utmost support from her peers and consultants, Hyunji learned the latest IT trends, gained new insights, and expanded her interest in the field.
After the hard training at SSAFY, Hyunji has successfully landed a job as a DT (Digital Transformation) business planner at a top-tier IT consulting company in South Korea. “Because I have been accustomed to the language of the IT world at SSAFY, I could blend in the company even as a newcomer,” said Hyunjui. “Rather, at the very first meeting to discuss an IT system with the developers, I was excited to see and hear what I have learned and experienced at SSAFY in real life. Thanks to SSAFY, I have become a professional in the field of IT.”
Kwan-heum Cho, a fifth graduate of SSAFY, majored in computer science but joined SSAFY to polish his undergraduate-level project experience and boost his confidence in the field. “SSAFY resolved some of the practical concerns and limitations I felt while studying at university. It was especially helpful in terms of building working-level competencies, as projects were carried out in the same way that they would be in the real world. We even used tools like Git and Jira which are commonly used in many businesses,” said Kwan-heum.
Kwan-heum’s passion for SW along with SSAFY’s practical training curriculum successfully landed him a job as a developer at Samsung. He is now developing a cloud-based personalization recommendation service as part of the Samsung Electronics SR team. He commented, “If you aren’t satisfied with your undergraduate-level SW education even after four years like me, investing just one year at SSAFY will bring you unimaginable results.”
In 2021, Porter High School held the first dance party since the outbreak of COVID-19. All was great until rumors of a possible school shooting circulated on social media. The air of excitement turned into panic and chaos as the rumor spread quickly.
“I never again want to see our friends panicking and crying because of a false alarm,” says Johann. Five students including Johann hoped to make sure the same thing never happen again.
With Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, the young’s hope began to take shape. Johann and his friends brainstormed ideas that could alleviate panics and made a design matrix to figure out what ideas provided students the most general security, implementation, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact. As a result, they developed Pathfinder, an alert and evacuation system.
Based on the location of the perceived threat, Pathfinder guides the students on campus to safety, minimizing stress and rushed, irrational decision-making. “Our team created a prototype with STEM materials such as breadboard, neo-pixel LED lights, audio and light sensor,” says Lena.
The students further developed the prototype and verified its reliability with an extensive test. They also made sure that the system is sustainable – providing high energy efficiency and long life – while clearly illustrating the direction of evacuation as well as the proximity to danger with different colors.
Recognized for its feasibility and originality, Project Pathfinder won Solve for Tomorrow US in April 2022. “We reached out to industry experts in security and law enforcement. They believe Pathfinder is highly adaptable for not only schools but also other venues,” says River. “We hope Pathfinder can help prevent panic in various places and occasions.”
Samsung Smart School is Samsung’s education-oriented global citizenship program aiming to foster the young leaders of tomorrow by enabling digital learning for students. The program begins at 10 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) schools in India this year, including Faridabad. Students at JNV Faridabad will be provided access to new digital learning opportunities and innovative technology to elevate their level of education.
Together, Samsung and teachers are opening new doors for the less privileged students of India, transforming their learning environment.
Ms. Anita Gupta is a teacher at JNV Faridabad, who has seen the digital changes made at the school since the setup of Samsung Smart Class. “There were only five to six computers that were working here in the school. I could not see technology anywhere. Smart Class was set up by Samsung, and it was a blessing.”
“The goal of Smart School in India is to bridge the digital divide,” added Ms. Gupta. “The students will gain confidence as they hone their digital skills through Samsung Smart School. I’m thankful to Samsung for making this possible, that we’re able to give the very best to our students.” Through the latest digital learning infrastructure and immersive educational content, Smart School seeks to empower the next generation to help them reach their full potential and get closer to their dreams.
Samsung Smart School also provides regular teacher training. Ms. Gupta highlighted, “Through continuous communication with the teachers, Samsung solves technical difficulties that could arise in the classroom and helps to improve the quality of education for students.”
Samsung Smart School offers various devices that can be used by students and teachers alike. Classrooms are equipped with Samsung Flip interactive digital boards and Galaxy Tabs, as well as basic devices like printers, PCs, and power backups. “All devices are very useful, but my favorite is the Flip, which gives a visual experience to the students,” said Ms. Gupta. “We can zoom in and out and explain things further, and whatever I’m writing on the board can be saved.”
Samsung’s commitment to ‘enable people’ through Smart School has seen an increase in the total number of students. Ms. Gupta said, “Equal opportunity to learn and grow is what students need. I hope more students in rural areas benefit from Samsung Smart School and get proper education in better environments.”
