GeekHub – a New Format for the Knowledge Exchange in IT Field

GeekHub is a social project (community / movement / courses), which aims at free education of young people with practical knowledge in the field of IT for the specialty. Through this event, young people acquire practical skills, which are so often lacking after receiving academic education. Specialized education is not required – you need only general skills in IT and a strong desire to acquire new knowledge. Successful completion of the course means that graduates can apply as a junior developer at any company, where they can start their career as a real IT-person.

How it began

The movement was founded by a small team of activists in 2011 in the city of Cherkassy. Cherkassy is a small town in Ukraine (about 300 thousand people), but it has about 15 outsourcing companies (three of them having ≈100 employees) and is a place of dislocation of food companies, among which, for example, is Ucoz.

Shortly after, the project was filled by volunteers, experts in the field of IT. Teachers who volunteered are developers of middle or senior rank. The first season took place already in 2011-2012, and then the second in 2012-2013. While the first season was attended by 7 teachers, there were already 18 in the second one. Classes for each course were held in the evenings once a week from mid-autumn to mid-spring. So, unfortunately, as not everyone has an opportunity to be a student, an entrance test was introduced. In order to pass the course, it was necessary to pass the tests of general awareness in IT, as well as to have an interview with the teacher.

Among the courses of the second season were the following:

• Frontend + CMS;
• Advanced CMS;
• Advanced PHP;
• Java for Web;
• Java for Android;
• Project Management;
• Quality Assurance;
• Technical English.

A bit of data

a)      1st season:

–        Applications: 172

–        Passed: 96

–        Successfully completed: 30%.

b)      2nd season:

–        Applications: 422

–        Passed: 150

–        Successfully completed: 67%.

Results and trends are very encouraging.

Infographics:

* The data is approximate.

Charitable projects under GeekHub for non-profit organizations in Cherkassy

At the beginning of the second season web developers (Advanced CMS) received an offer to participate in the creation of charitable sites for the city. Great idea! The team quickly found the “victims”, including the Youth Development Center, the creative center, the center of social adaptation, and even the church, Department of the Institute and the city crowd-funding platform under the authorship of the mayor.

P.S. So my friend has successfully completed a course of project management. He had a wonderful time, got new knowledge, certification and excellent contacts. Interested citizens of Cherkassy (or those who are willing to come) are waiting for the new season, when enrolment opens in August.

Do not be afraid to implement good ideas  – sometimes very simple ideas get an extraordinarily powerful response and can affect the lives of many people.