Unfold helps Ukrainian women enter IT market

08.02.2023

Initiated by Unfold.vc and implemented by Coders Lab, the project is tailored to the current and long-term needs of both refugee women and employers. It will give women from Ukraine the opportunity to re-brand themselves or upgrade their professional competencies in a sector that is constantly experiencing a shortage of specialists.

Unfold.vc, which is listed on the WSE, provides capital support to 20 technology companies, including. Brand24, TimeCamp, Primetric, Infermedika, Sundose and Intelliseq, among others. For the Wroclaw-based fund, however, growth is not just about expanding its portfolio. It’s also non-capital engagement, which aims to strengthen the startup ecosystem by sharing knowledge, experience and best practices, in line with the idea of “Pay it Forward.” Unfold.vc’s social engagement strategy includes the initiative just announced.

“Most Ukrainian women who came to Poland as a result of the war are unfortunately working below their qualifications. The decision to take a job, most often the first available one, is determined by the need to make a quick buck so as not to be left here without a livelihood. We believe that the HERoes in IT project will significantly affect the situation of our female trainees. As a result of the free training, they will acquire skills that will allow them to apply for jobs as manual testers. This is one of the most sought-after IT professions today. This course is the fastest way to enter the industry or strengthen competencies.”
– says Jakub Sitarz, president of the Unfold.vc fund, which is the initiator and sponsor of the action.

As part of the program, 18 selected women from Ukraine will benefit from a professional course prepared by the IT school – Coders Lab – with the opportunity to train as a manual tester. A person in this position, in close cooperation with a team of developers, tests and detects software errors at the stage of programming, implementation and operation of websites and web applications.

When deciding to support women from Ukraine, we depended on a partner who will realistically support the participants of this project with their experience. Coders Lab is the largest IT school in Poland. The team has the right know-how, and during the implemented courses they share the practical knowledge necessary to start a career in the IT industry."
- Jakub Sitarz, president of the Unfold.vc

To participate in the project, the organizers invite Ukrainian citizens with a good knowledge of Polish (the course will be conducted in Polish) and who have their own computer with Internet access. At the same time, they do not require experience in the IT industry or completed studies. In addition to the workshop path, the course provides for support from experienced HR consultants, including individual resume consultation and simulation of a recruitment interview.

The free software tester training course starts on March 15 this year. It will last two weeks and will be conducted remotely, on a daily basis. Applications for the program are accepted via a form until February 15 this year. This will be followed by verification of participants, a short interview with recruiters and selection of female trainees. The initiator and funder of the campaign is the Unfold.vc fund. The course on manual tester is implemented in cooperation with the Coders Lab school. HERoes in IT to help Ukrainian women gain new skills and start a career in IT.