RazomTech: An ecosystem project with a focus on veterans and families of the Armed Forces of Ukra...

As of August 1, 2023, the Unified State Register of War Veterans contains information on 90,8832 veterans. Additionally, by autumn 2023, Ukraine has over 1 million military personnel actively participating in the country's defense on the front lines. A significant portion of them intend to return to their previous employers or explore changing professional directions and seeking new employment opportunities. The Ukrainian reality has already changed, and we must proactively act to transform communication culture in companies, physical spaces, societal communications, approaches to education and adaptation, and information policies regarding work with veterans. 📤 The Kharkiv IT Cluster community is a change provider in society regarding active work with veterans, considering them valuable professionals with great potential. That's why the project to build the Tech-veteran community ecosystem - RazomTech was launched in 2023. The main partner of the project is the IT company EPAM Ukraine. RazomTech is an initiative aimed at creating a comprehensive ecosystem to facilitate the adaptation and reintegration of veterans and veteran-esses into civilian life, their retraining, and employment in Ukrainian technology business companies.

Project Objectives

🤝 Prepare key personnel from IT companies for professional communication with veterans and their adaptation (organizing meetups, round tables, training sessions); 👨‍💻 Provide training and technological preparation for veterans (conducting qualification enhancement courses or training); 🌱 Create conditions for successful employment in the IT industry for veterans; 🤲 Form a conscious environment ready to accept and support veterans; 🏢 Unite IT companies, public organizations, charitable foundations, and other veteran initiatives around the issue of veteran reintegration.

Key Project Tasks

📌 Facilitating Training. Providing veterans with access to modern technological resources and educational materials to facilitate their effective learning and skill enhancement; 📌 Promoting a Culture of Work with Veterans. Organizing events, seminars, and conferences for companies and the public to increase awareness of the value of veterans in the IT industry and create a conducive environment for their integration; 📌 Training and Employment. Providing support to veterans in job search and internships in IT companies to facilitate their successful entry into the information technology field; 📌 Creating Partnerships. Establishing strategic partnerships with IT companies, educational institutions, and public organizations to jointly implement the project and provide additional opportunities for veterans; 📌 Creating a Supportive Environment. Providing veterans with necessary support, including psychosocial assistance and individualized approach to their needs during education and employment processes.

Main Focus Areas

🔍 Research

Kharkiv IT Cluster systematically monitors the needs and challenges faced by veterans during the reintegration process into civilian life. Through constant communication with veteran organizations, experts in military psychology, and veterans themselves, we have the opportunity to actively track the situation's dynamics and not only respond to emerging needs but also actively implement initiatives to support veterans for their successful reintegration into society.

📢 Informing veterans and technology companies

One of the main objectives of the RazomTech project is to disseminate information about the opportunities available for veterans and tech companies to cooperate and support each other. This includes presenting available support programs, educational and professional opportunities for veterans, as well as informing companies about the benefits of working with veterans.

💼 Retraining

Kharkiv IT Cluster participates in retraining initiatives for veterans to help them adapt to the civilian job market and find new professional paths.

Intermediate Project Results

The project's ecosystem is being built based on creating interaction platforms with stakeholders. The Kharkiv IT Cluster community aims not only to solve technical tasks but also to support the development of flexible skills, which are equally important for a successful career. Together with Cluster member companies and influential organizations, we are already implementing a comprehensive plan of action aimed at integrating veterans into the IT sphere and building the Tech-veteran community.

Within the project, the following activities were initiated and organized:

✅ done 🤝 Meeting of Kharkiv IT Cluster companies with veterans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the Cyber Diia Competence and Innovation Center 👨‍💼 Event for managers, HR specialists, and managers of technology companies - preparation for veterans' adaptation in companies in Kharkiv offline and online. 💼 2 career consultations for veterans in collaboration with project partners "After Front: to civilian life after the front".   🚀 Career orientation course for veterans on the DriveEd platform. 🌀 in progress On May 15, 2024, at 17:00, a panel discussion by Kharkiv IT Cluster together with IT company EPAM Ukraine will be held: "How to support veterans returning to civilian life?", Kharkiv offline/online. We invite all interested parties to join the panel discussion to discuss the topic of supporting veterans and veterans in their adaptation to civilian life and work. Organizations (Kharkiv IT Cluster, Veteran Hub, EPAM Ukraine, Intellias, Work.ua) at the event will present practical cases and share their experiences of defenders' reintegration. We invite managers, HR specialists, recruiters, and everyone interested in the panel discussion. More details: Link to the event page These are just the first steps toward our shared goal - creating and developing the Tech-veteran community that will provide new opportunities for veterans and transform their lives in the technology business sector. We are confident that together we can build an ecosystem where every veteran receives support, recognition, and the opportunity to realize their potential in the field of information technology. Already joined the project's ecosystem:

Join the Kharkiv IT Cluster and the project's implementation and become part of a community that changes the world!