As generative AI (artificial intelligence) advances, the type of AI talent that companies seek is also changing. Demand is growing for “practical AI talent” who can use generative AI not only in everyday life but also to solve real-world business problems.

In response, edtech company Team Sparta is focusing on cultivating practical AI professionals. Recently, it achieved results in the K-Digital Training (KDT) program overseen by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The KDT program is a vocational training initiative that cultivates talent in digital and new technology fields such as AI, big data, and cloud. Through project-based curricula, it produces personnel who can be immediately deployed on site and links them directly to hiring. Team Sparta has participated in the KDT program since 2021 and has ranked first in cumulative number of job placements for three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025, with an average completion rate of 90%.

Team Sparta cited its systematic educational structure, connecting learning, practical experience, and employment linkage, as a key factor behind its performance. Before starting full-scale training, it operated “Warming Up” and “Base Camp” programs to help strengthen students’ basic competencies. Over roughly three weeks, these programs proceed step by step, including basic concept learning, practical assignments, and career coaching to review career direction. By clarifying individual learning goals and increasing immersion in the training, Team Sparta was able to reduce pre-course dropout rates by about half.

It also introduced a customized Learning Management System (LMS) tailored to online education. The LMS is a system that visualizes and centrally manages each participant’s progress rate, assignment status, feedback from instructors, and check-in/check-out times. By analyzing individual learning activity data, it proactively detects learners who require intensive support. When signs of abnormality are detected, notifications are sent to the responsible manager or instructor, who then closely monitors and supports the learner.

Team Sparta’s proprietary AI tutor “A.tani” also supports the training. A.tani comprehensively analyzes materials studied by learners, the content of submitted assignments, and the roles they play in team projects. AI diagnostic quizzes to assess individual achievement levels are conducted daily. A.tani’s core role is to recommend learning materials and adjust the pace of instruction according to each learner’s analyzed learning status and level of development. At the time of completion, it provides an “AI Personal Report,” which shows the extent to which job-specific core competencies have been achieved and highlights individual strengths derived from learning outcomes.

To provide opportunities to build practical experience, Team Sparta designed its domain-specific courses around project-based learning. The design track (training course) was conducted through a partnership with Adobe. It consists of projects that build proficiency in using design tools required in actual work. Offline programs, such as visits to Adobe headquarters, are conducted in parallel to deepen understanding of job roles.

Team Sparta also established a system that links course completion to employment. Through its proprietary recruitment platform “Sparta Career,” which involves around 1,000 companies, it provides job opportunities to trainees. It operates the “Baro Intern” program, which places course graduates directly in partner companies’ workplaces, as well as resume and interview coaching. A Team Sparta representative stated, “Graduates have found employment at a variety of companies, including SK hynix, LG Electronics, Coupang, Samsung Card, and Nexon.”

Meanwhile, Team Sparta has also been selected as an operating institution for the “K-Digital Training AI Campus (AI Campus)” program organized by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. AI Campus is a large-scale national project with an annual budget of about KRW 130 billion to cultivate AI specialists. It was launched for the first time this year to address the shortage of specialists resulting from the accelerated adoption of AI by companies. Based on its KDT operational achievements and educational know-how, Team Sparta plans to focus on training practical AI engineers within the AI Campus program. To enhance learners’ problem-solving capabilities, it will conduct hands-on training using robots and team projects.

A Team Sparta representative said, “Building on our advanced personalized management system and practice-oriented educational structure, we will continuously nurture AI talent who can make an immediate impact in the workplace.”

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