What happened
Financial News reports that Hyundai Motor and Kia are recruiting for the ninth cohort of Softier Bootcamp, an eight-week software training program linked to entry-level hiring. The cohort covers backend development, data engineering and data architecture, and introduces one-on-one mentoring focused on AI use and AI agents.
Financial News reports that Hyundai Motor and Kia will accept applications for the ninth Softier Bootcamp cohort from the 19th through the 3rd of the following month. The report says applications are submitted through the program’s official website.
The training is scheduled to last about eight weeks, from December 28 through February 26 of the following year. Applicants must hold, or expect to hold, at least a bachelor’s degree from a four-year university in Korea or abroad between August 2026 and August 2027.
The program’s three fields are backend development, data engineering and data architecture, with selection based on online assessments and interviews. Financial News says the training is free and that required equipment and software will be provided.
Beginning with this cohort, the program will add individual mentoring intended to strengthen participants’ AI skills. The report says the previous cohort shifted toward AI, with lectures from working developers on AI agents and hands-on team projects.
Financial News says graduates will have the opportunity to take a final interview for entry-level software positions at Hyundai Motor and Kia. The source does not say that interviews or employment are guaranteed.
Source details: en.fnnews.com ↗
Why it matters
The program shows Hyundai and Kia treating practical AI capability as part of their early-career software hiring . Free training, supplied equipment and a potential final interview could lower barriers for eligible graduates, although the report does not establish how many people will be hired or whether completing the course leads to employment.
The initiative connects AI education directly to a major automaker’s software recruiting process. That makes it relevant beyond ordinary corporate training: participants may gain structured experience with AI-assisted development while the companies build a for software and mobility work.
The source reports that about 600 people have completed the first eight cohorts since the program began in 2023. However, it does not provide independent outcome data, such as hiring numbers, retention, participant performance, or evidence that the AI-focused curriculum improves job results.
The practical opportunity is limited to applicants who meet the stated degree and graduation-window requirements. The report does not identify whether the program is available remotely, whether participants receive compensation, or whether interview opportunities differ by field or performance.
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What to watch next
Applicants can apply through the official Softier Bootcamp website during the reported application period. Key unknowns include cohort size, selection rates, the specific AI tools and projects used, the number of available jobs, and how many graduates ultimately receive offers.
The application deadline, cohort capacity and selection results will clarify the scale of Hyundai and Kia’s AI talent investment. The report gives an application window but does not state how many trainees will be accepted.
The content of the AI-agent lectures, mentoring and projects will be important for assessing whether the program teaches durable software and AI engineering skills or primarily familiarizes participants with particular tools.
The most consequential follow-up will be the hiring outcome: how many graduates receive final interviews, offers and roles, and what employment terms those roles carry. Financial News reports only an opportunity to interview, not guaranteed hiring.
The program’s relationship to Hyundai and Kia’s broader AI and autonomous-factory plans is not established by this report, so those initiatives should not be treated as confirmed outcomes of the bootcamp.