19 institutions and 100 regional companies take part; AI career consulting, mentoring sessions and youth wellness programs on offer

A scene from the 2026 Busan Youth MEGA Job Fair [Busan Economic Promotion Agency]
A scene from the 2026 Busan Youth MEGA Job Fair [Busan Economic Promotion Agency]

The city of Busan and the Busan Economic Promotion Agency held the 2026 Busan Youth MEGA Job Fair at BEXCO's second exhibition hall Monday, aiming to broaden employment opportunities for young job seekers while helping local companies connect with talented candidates.

The fair was organized to consolidate recruitment events that had previously been held separately by individual institutions and universities, creating a larger platform for young people and regional employers to meet.

The event originated as a joint project first proposed by the "one-stop employment support council," which launched in April last year. Beyond the city and the Busan Economic Promotion Agency, 19 institutions participated in total, including the Busan Regional Employment and Labor Office, the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Busan Employers' Federation, district and county offices, and 10 local universities.

One hundred local companies took part, and more than 1,100 young job seekers pre-registered, reflecting strong interest in the event. Participating firms included companies certified by the city of Busan — such as those designated as youth-friendly, distinguished local enterprises, service-sector small and medium enterprises, and top employers — as well as outstanding regional companies from a range of industries.

Alongside corporate recruitment booths, the fair offered three signature programs to support job seekers from multiple angles: AI career consulting, a working-professional job live session and a youth dream lab.

The AI career consulting program used AI-based aptitude and job-fit assessments to help participants identify roles suited to them, and also offered AI mock interviews and feedback on job preparation, drawing an enthusiastic response from attendees.

The working-professional job live session was a small-group mentoring program pairing current employees with young job seekers. It ran 14 sessions covering fields including mechanical design, food and beverage, human resources, marketing and trade logistics. The sessions filled up quickly even at the pre-registration stage, as participants could hear directly from working professionals about the realities of each role and how to prepare for it — details that job postings and company profiles rarely convey.

The youth dream lab offered hands-on programs organized around three stations: a career counseling corner where participants could share job-search worries, a stress-relief workshop centered on keycap crafting billed as a "vaccine manufacturing room," and a tailored youth policy information desk. Together, the stations gave young visitors both practical employment information and a chance to recharge.

"This fair is the first joint project organized together by institutions and universities since the one-stop employment support council was launched," a Busan Economic Promotion Agency official said. "We will continue to provide employment support linked to local companies so that young people can explore a wide range of firms and roles and expand their job opportunities."


kaf2002@heraldcorp.com