'Harmony Day' marks 3rd cohort graduation, 4th cohort enrollment

IT, video, F&B and landscaping vocational training offered

Eight top graduates receive scholarships

41 students in 4th cohort to train through February

Graduates of the 3rd cohort and incoming students of the 4th cohort of Kia's Harmonium education program pose for a group photo at the Mondrian Seoul Itaewon hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Sunday. [Kia]
Graduates of the 3rd cohort and incoming students of the 4th cohort of Kia's Harmonium education program pose for a group photo at the Mondrian Seoul Itaewon hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Sunday. [Kia]

Kia will continue offering vocational training in IT, video production, food and beverage, and landscaping for multicultural youth and young North Korean defectors, the automaker said Monday. Participants who complete the program also receive follow-up support — including internships and career lectures — to help them explore concrete paths to employment or higher education.

Kia held a "Harmony Day" event Sunday at the Mondrian Seoul Itaewon hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, combining the graduation ceremony for the 3rd cohort of its Harmonium education program with the enrollment ceremony for the 4th cohort.

About 200 people attended, including 3rd cohort graduates, incoming 4th cohort students and their parents, Kia Executive Managing Director of Sustainability Management Lee Deok-hyeon, and Korea Labor Foundation Secretary General Park Jong-pil.

Harmonium is a career development and self-reliance support program for multicultural youth that Kia launched in 2024. The program runs two cycles per year and, starting with the 3rd cohort, expanded its eligibility to include young North Korean defectors.

The curriculum covers four fields — IT, video production, food and beverage, and landscaping — chosen to reflect participants' preferences and expert recommendations. Alongside classroom instruction in each field, the program includes hands-on practicum sessions where students can experience real work tasks.

After completing the coursework, participants are offered internships with social ventures, career lectures by Kia employees, and tours of Autoland, the company's production facility. The program is designed to go beyond basic vocational training by attaching follow-up pathways that can lead to actual employment or university enrollment.

All 3rd cohort participants completed the full program without dropping out. Some went on to find jobs at IT companies or enrolled in university programs in media and video studies or computer science. One student who took part in the food and beverage track won an award at an international youth barista competition.

At Sunday's event, a video documenting the 3rd cohort's training journey was screened, and companies that hosted interns shared their impressions. Eight top graduates, selected based on their educational performance and achievements, received scholarships.

Kim Min-jo, named the program's top graduate, presented a personal growth report she had written. "I had a strong interest in game development but lacked the opportunity to map out a concrete path," she said. "Through Harmonium's vocational training and internship, I was able to build problem-solving skills and confidence. I will use this experience as a springboard to grow into a planner who leads the future game industry."

At the 4th cohort enrollment ceremony that followed, 3rd cohort graduates delivered words of encouragement to the incoming students, who in turn shared their plans for the program.

The 4th cohort comprises 41 students in total — 25 multicultural youth and 16 young North Korean defectors. Training begins next month and runs through February next year.

Korea Labor Foundation Secretary General Park Jong-pil said in his congratulatory remarks that he hoped the Harmonium program would serve as "a solid stepping stone for multicultural and North Korean defector youth as they explore career paths and enter society," adding that he would "cheer them on as they take their first steps into the world with confidence, regardless of their diverse cultural backgrounds."

Kia Executive Managing Director of Sustainability Management Lee Deok-hyeon said supporting young people from diverse backgrounds so they can realize their potential "is an important task for enhancing the sustainability of our society, at a time when the multicultural population is growing." He added that Kia would "continue to broaden the foundation for inclusive growth — in partnership with various stakeholders — so that multicultural and North Korean defector youth can develop into future talent and establish themselves as healthy members of society."


kwater@heraldcorp.com