Every year, young aspirants from Korea in their 20s and early 30s, who dream of becoming experts in the field of IT, knock on the door of Samsung SW Academy For Youth (SSAFY) looking for an opportunity. What makes SSAFY special to them? We asked Hyung-chang, a SSAFY graduate who recently succeeded in getting a job. Let’s find out how he landed a position in the IT sector; even without a degree in the relevant field.

Q. As a non-IT major, what motivated you to apply to Samsung SW Academy For Youth?

I majored in Arabic and Economics but I have always been eager to challenge myself to learn new things. Also, during my internship in Saudi Arabia and through personal experiences of traveling the world, I learned that professional talents in the software field are in high demand within corporates. When I returned to Korea, I applied to SSAFY.

SSAFY is an outstanding program that not only supports students’ software competency through training but also their employment. Its systemized curriculum is great for non-majors like me, and the teamwork experience with peers is invaluable. I also believe that SSAFY graduates tend to leave lasting, good impressions; which plays a positive role in getting a job.

Q. What was the most memorable event during SSAFY training?

In the beginning, the training was hard because I was unfamiliar with IT, but I still had fun while learning. I will not forget the different experiences when I finally solved algorithm problems or development errors. I didn’t get them right at first but, slowly, as my skills improved, so did my ability to solve them.

Learnings from the professors during SSAFY training will also remain with me, as well as the moment when the professor shed tears at a farewell party when my classmates and I delivered our goodbye message.

Q. What is your secret to successful employment and your future aspirations?

My first step as an IT professional is working as a developer at one of Korea’s private banks. Everything I learned at SSAFY has been essential in me getting this position. For those still studying and majoring in different areas, I would recommend you take extra time in learning programming languages and frameworks as this will help you understand the lecture.

Whilst I started far behind the line compared to my peers because I was not an IT major; I learned the world of software and grew every day since my journey with SSAFY. I want to keep pushing forward, giving the best I have and continue to make a mark on the world in the era of 4th Industrial Revolution.