GM Hanmaum Foundation Supports Scholarships and Career Experience Programmes for Young People Preparing for Independence

GM Heart-Mind Foundation Korea (hereafter referred to as the GM Heart-Mind Foundation) is supporting the career development and independence-building capabilities of young people through a variety of programmes, including the 'Dream Frame (Kkumteul)' scholarship support project for care leavers and STEAM career experience activities.

As part of these efforts, on 28 July, a ceremony was held at the GM Korea facility's promotional hall in Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, to present 'Dream Frame' scholarship certificates – a programme that provides support through both scholarships and mentoring – with four young people in need of social care receiving certificates to help them grow their dreams and talents. The GM Heart-Mind Foundation will continue its support to the value of 20 million Korean won this year, including these scholarship presentations, to help care leavers design a stable future.

At this outcome-sharing meeting and scholarship certificate ceremony, the achievements of the scholarship and mentoring work carried out to date were shared, and the four scholarship recipients were celebrated. Hector Villareal, President of GM Korea, GM executives and employees, along with representatives from Save the Children's Gyeongin Regional Office, the Bupyeong-gu Multicultural Family Support Centre, and Happy Home Children's Home, were present to encourage the young people.

Hector Villareal, CEO of the GM Heart-Mind Foundation and President of GM Korea, said: "Programmes such as the GM Heart-Mind Foundation's 'Dream Frame' scholarships and STEAM career experience activities are designed to help young people build practical skills and confidence by seeing, creating and experiencing things first-hand, enabling them to prepare for independence more securely." He added: "We will continue to provide a wide range of learning opportunities so that young people can hold on to their self-esteem and hope and keep pursuing their dreams."

Meanwhile, on 22 July, the GM Heart-Mind Foundation, alongside the 'Dream Talent' support project for care leavers, ran a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education programme at Buwon Middle School in Incheon with the IAC (Inclusive Action Committee), a voluntary group of GM employees, to support local young people in exploring their career paths. The Buwon Middle School programme invited students from migrant-background and underprivileged families, aiming to provide a more inclusive learning experience. The session introduced GM's cutting-edge hands-free driver assistance system, 'Super Cruise', and explained in an accessible way how the sensors and control modules in a real vehicle function, much like the components of a car kit.

The students assembled and operated their own car kits, experiencing the fundamental principles of autonomous driving technology first-hand, and also had the opportunity to talk freely with GM employee volunteers about careers, studies and future jobs. This helped spark their interest in science and technology, and provided an opportunity for them to consider future career paths in STEAM and automotive engineering.