A new round of courses under Taiwan's "Industry New Vanguard Programme," launched by the Ministry of Labor, is good news for young people who want to move into the tech sector but worry about tuition and living costs.

• One young man, a business administration graduate who spent seven or eight years in front-of-house roles at hotels and bistros, used the programme to switch careers and become an AI engineer, raising his monthly salary by 20 to 30 percent.
• The programme targets young people aged 15 to 29 and offers training subsidies of up to NT$100,000. Registration is now open for the latest round of 109 classes.
• Trainees pay only NT$10,000 up front, fully refundable if they find employment within 90 days of completing the course, and receive a monthly incentive payment of NT$8,000 during training.
• Courses are aligned with the country's priority industries, covering fields such as AI and big data, chip design, green energy, full-stack engineering and digital marketing.
• Training providers also offer résumé guidance, interview coaching and job matching, with the goal of employment immediately upon completion.

Outlook: Proposals for courses in the first half of next year will be accepted starting in September this year, with AI and semiconductor-related classes expected to remain the most sought-after options.