Professional military man Vladyslav (surname changed for security reasons) from Kharkiv, 33, had long been thinking about trying himself in IT. He was even interested in Sigma Software’s vacancies because he lived nearby. During the war, he met a company representative, and on his advice, he is now studying at Sigma Software University in a basic course in front-end development (HTML/CSS/JavaScript) in parallel with his military service, as he plans to work in IT after the war.
Vladyslav, tell us your story:
I studied at the Academy of Internal Troops in Kharkiv and majored in translation and interpreting. After graduation, I served in the military until 2019. After that, I decided to change my career path. The security field, which is often an easy option for military personnel, was not very interesting to me either.
I realised that I had reached the peak of my development there. I wanted to find myself in a more modern field—one that would allow me to grow, earn, and be surrounded by people who also strive for development.
That’s when I became interested in targeted advertising, where my friend was already working. I also completed a course in targeting and later in creative marketing. Then I started looking for my first job to gain experience. Eventually, I managed to find a position in traffic arbitrage.
Getting into media buying was a big encouragement for me. I was even willing to work without pay, just for the experience. By around the third month, I started to get good at it and… then the war began. I was in Kharkiv, where my home is, and I had to return to the army to defend it, even though I hadn’t planned on staying in the army.
But you didn’t want to stay in the media buying either?
Frankly speaking, arbitrage and media buying at the company where I ended up had already started raising questions for me, because often it felt like selling air to people who had real problems.
I wanted to do something more meaningful, where I could actually see the impact of my work. I have been interested in IT for a long time, but it also intimidated me a bit — it meant sitting at a computer for long hours, while before I was always on the move. Experience showed me that I had underestimated myself. When you are motivated, you have the strength and inspiration to work at the computer as long as you need to.
Why Sigma Software?
I live not far from the Sigma Software office, so I knew about the company, but the vacancies on their website required experience—and I had none at all.
However, during the war, I met Yurii, a specialist at the company. He told me there were different opportunities available. That’s when I started looking into courses and came across a basic front-end course (HTML/CSS/JavaScript). It was a free course offered as part of a social initiative by Sigma Software University. I applied on Yurii’s recommendation and was lucky enough to become one of the course’s students.
How difficult is it to combine military service and work?
I can’t say that it’s very difficult, I feel that I have a tendency to learn. But with the transition to the training division, which coincided with the second-to-last module of the course, I suddenly had very little time. There was a lot of computer work and documentation, after which sometimes it was almost impossible to fully understand a lecture on the first try…But I am convinced that I will finish this course, I already know how to study, I know what I can do and understand everything necessary.
All I need is time and a clear head. My mentor, Vladyslav, supports me a lot, even though I sometimes fall behind in the process. I’m very grateful to him for that.
Were there any interests in your life before that could help you in learning?
That’s the thing — no. Before that, my life was only about sports and the army. I did a lot of different sports — general training, boxing. This teaches discipline and helps you feel better. Besides that, I had basic English from the academy. And during my internship in Italy, I had the chance to overcome the language barrier, so I’m confident I can handle it.
There are a lot of military people in international IT, for example, in Israel. Is it possible to imagine this in Ukraine?
It all depends on the person. Those who are interested will find a way. There are many people in the Ukrainian army who are used to living in a very inert mode. I believe that many in the army need to learn from IT specialists to think outside the box, take responsibility, and broaden their horizons. That’s exactly what I want to do now.
So what’s the plan?
To finish my studies and work in this field, possibly through an internship. My mentor explained to me what opportunities exist for beginners, so now I’m doing what’s essential for success in this industry: taking the course and carefully completing the assignments. I don’t want to judge myself too much, but I can see that I’m able to grasp all of this — the main thing is to have enough time, which I will definitely find.
Thank you for your service! Wishing for victory and the soonest possible return to peaceful work!
