ReDI School Denmark trains 20 women from Ukraine in UX/UI, entrepreneurship and design methods in collaboration with EU-Ukrainian Hub
The future is bright in Denmark, and it looks like the Danish ICT community has grown again with inclusivity at the very forefront of sector developments. A recent collab between the Danish ReDI School of Integration and the national European-Ukrainian Hub upskilled 20 Ukrainian women, catapulting them straight to a booming technology job market within Denmark.
Sofiia Kryvyk and Alisa Sharabura are 2 of the women ReDI School Denmark helped to train through courses in UX/UI and entrepreneurship.
Upskilling for pros
ReDI School Denmark ran a 10-week incubator for 20 women from Ukraineto train them in UX and UI design (user experience and user interface) and equip them with entrepreneurship skills in a collaborative effort with the European-Ukrainian Hub.
The incubator immerses students in an intense, project-based process where they get the chance to develop digital business ideas in groups and work together in a collaborative manner. The incubator also delves into aspects such as problem framing, research, prototyping, business modelling, and creating a compelling final presentation.
Throughout the duration of the course, students are also introduced to the Danish start-up sector and get to learn more about the general culture within the Danish labour market through several workshops. Two of these students are Alisa Sharabura and Sofiia Kryvyk.
The European-Ukrainian Hub is a continuation of “IVDK HUB” - the largest European entrepreneurial effort for Ukrainian refugees from October 2022 to June 2023 with the participation of 1,100 Ukrainians in Denmark.
Straight from the source: success stories
Diving in a pool of technology: the skills we need to make it happen
Alisa Sharabura joinedthe EU-Ukrainian Hub and the ReDI incubator with enthusiasm: the initiative meant she could get the opportunity to learn new skills currently in demand in ICT:
"I thought it would be a great chance to learn how to make websites and apps, find out what people want from them, and even how to start my own business one day. In addition, I was excited to meet new people and see what job opportunities there are in Copenhagen".
When Alisa tries to imagine the future, she always sees herself staying in Copenhagen - and continuing studying. She's also open to options and willing to dive further in:
"I'm really interested in the tech field, so I would like to find a program or course that can teach me even more about it. I also hope to find a way to implement what I learn in my current job so that I can start making a difference right away".
Finally, Alisa thinks the incubator experience has been spot-on, and she's learned a lot:
"It's been fun working on different projects with my classmates. The teachers are really nice and helpful. I feel like I'm gaining a lot of practical skills that I can use in the real world, and I'm excited to see where this journey takes me".
Stumbling in to the digital world
Sofiia Kryvyk came across the initiative by chance - but it proved to be exactly what she was looking for:
"Although it was a coincidence that I came across this course, it is exactly what I have been looking for. I've long considered taking UI/UX design courses, but it required a significant investment of time and money. Thanks to the collaboration between ReDi School and the EU-Ukrainian Hub, I now have the opportunity to gain some really cool introductory knowledge in UX, creative thinking, different approaches to idea generation and constructive analysis, as well as many other skills that interest me. I am confident that no matter what profession I choose, these skills will be useful for my future goals and tasks".
There were tons of other benefits to this experience for Sofia. She notes that she had never studied something in English before - and this was very interesting but also challenging. The chance to forge new connections (with other Ukrainian women, teachers, or others) is another plus - and so are the additional activities and workshops the participants have immersed themselves with.
About ReDI School of Digital Integration DK
ReDI School is a non-profit IT school that was established in Denmark in 2019 with support from The Coca-Cola Foundation. From offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus, their mission is to help women from migrant and refugee background get the skills they need to be proficient in the Danish labour market and society. A range of companies from within and outside of Denmark, together with foundations are supporters of ReDI School.
Their program is based on free IT courses at several levels, from basic computer use to advanced courses in design, programming or cybersecurity etc. At the same time, they offer an ambitious career program with an introduction to job search and the labour market in Denmark, project work for IT departments and tech companies as well as individual coaching. The entire program is based on volunteers, most of whom are IT or HR professionals.
