NC AI moves to foster talent in the game and artificial intelligence (AI) content fields.
NC AI said on the 22nd that it will take part in the government-led "K-New Deal Academy" project to foster young talent. Through this project, the company plans to provide a core foundation for non-majors and long-term unemployed young people to become self-reliant in the game creation ecosystem based on Generative AI capabilities.
The "K-New Deal Academy," promoted by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and overseen by the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET), is a youth job training project in which major domestic corporations participate. While many curricula have so far focused on manufacturing, finance, and AI infrastructure, the company noted it will operate a program specialized in game and AI content production roles, which are highly preferred by young people.
NC AI will recruit a total of 150 people across three non-capital hubs—Busan, Daejeon, and Gwangju—and run the entire 500-hour curriculum free of charge. Starting with the first cohort in July, selecting 60 people each in Busan and Daejeon and 30 in Gwangju, it plans to run a total of five cohorts in sequence. Any unemployed young person aged 15 to 34 can apply regardless of major or coding experience.
In the course, NC AI's Generative AI platform "VARCO" product lineup will be provided free of charge to all trainees. Because commercial service accounts used in the field are issued as-is, trainees can experience the entire process—from generating assets needed for game production to development and final completion—exactly as in a real work environment.
In addition, a vibe coding method that generates code based on natural language was introduced throughout the training. As a result, non-majors without coding experience can focus on planning and content development while building practical skills.
Training outcomes can be used immediately in the job market. Graduates can obtain a practical portfolio that includes one game officially released under their own name on platforms such as "itch.io" or "Google Play," along with technical documents and a game trailer video.
Even after completion, all graduates will be connected to various follow-up tracks operated by NC AI, such as the VARCO Contest K-New Deal Special Exhibition, the VARCO Game AI game production support program, and the VARCO Artist-Creator system. NC AI will continue to support graduates after the project ends, helping with career development including full-time employment and self-reliance as solo creators.
NC AI also plans to help trainees adapt to organizations and enter society. About 25% of the overall curriculum will be devoted to programs such as communication with incumbents, organizational culture experiences, self-esteem recovery, and teamwork enhancement, to help long-term unemployed young people regain job confidence and enter society in a healthy way.
In this project, NC AI will serve as the lead corporation, overseeing program design and job training, while Korea Management Association Consulting (KMAC), the operations support center, and the training institutions MBC Academy Computer Education Center and Develrocket Edu will jointly operate it.
Lee Yeon-su, head of NC AI, said, "Based on our experience directly developing AI and applying it on the front lines of game and content production, we plan to provide an educational environment where non-majors and long-term unemployed young people can use Generative AI to create their own content," adding, "Completion of the course is not the end—we will build a support system so it can lead to employment and creative activities, and we will establish an ecosystem in which young people can continue to grow."