As a new generation of IT schools opened in Silicon Valley last 42years, few people in Fremont, California knew that a similar school was already operating in the Ukrainian capital under the name UNIT Factory. Both schools implement the École 42 system, which is very successful in France.
Located in a newly built complex in the center of Kyiv,UNIT Factory has no teachers, timetables, lecture notes or traditional grades. It uses peer-2-peer pedagogy – a type of participatory learning that allows students to develop their creativity through project-based learning. As with role-playing games, the program is based on gamification: the students expand their skills, open up new levels and gain experience. Particular emphasis is placed on self-education, as this skill is crucial for IT professionals. With all this, education at UNIT Factory is free for graduates who agree to work in Ukraine for the next three years.
“The program prepares our graduates for work on commercial projects. And we do our best to ensure that the students never lose their enthusiasm and will to advance in the chosen profession,” said Valeriya Zabolotna, Head of UNIT Factory.
The first wave of students have been studying at UNIT Factory for more than seven months, showing rapid progress and excellent motivation. The second enrollment has already started: by the end of 2017, the number of students will increase from 280 today to 800. Students are not selected on the basis of their educational qualifications or programming skills, but solely on the basis of their talent and motivation. A year ago, the selection campaign caused a stir – more than 12,000 applications were received in the first month.
It is noteworthy that UNIT Factory, not a separate facility, but the key element of the ecosystem of UNIT.City Innovation Park, opened in Kyiv in April 2017. Both projects were initiated by Vasyl Khmelnytsky’s K.Fund. In the future, the park promises to become a “city within a city,” a hub of high-tech companies, investors and talent.
About UNIT Factory
UNIT Factory (Ukrainian National IT Factory) is a new educational institution in Kyiv that trains next-generation IT professionals. UNIT Factory graduates receive a sought-after job that allows them to take part in large-scale projects in the digital age.
Training according to the innovative system that works successfully at the École 42 in Paris *:
- Peer-to-peer method (P2P) – no teachers, timetables, lecture notes or traditional grades
- Teamwork and project-based learning
- Gamification as in role-playing games: The students expand their skills, open up new levels and gain experience
- skills of self-learning
- soft skills
- Open 24/7
* A similar system is used at School 42 in Silicon Valley (Fremont, California).
Training at UNIT Factory is free for graduates who agree to work in Ukraine for the next three years.
Training takes up to three years, but the course allows students to work at their own pace and rhythm, allowing for earlier graduation. After the first year of study, students can either continue to improve their skills or find a job.
The selection process of the students:
- Registration on unit.ua
- online test
- personal interviews
- one-month trial period (“pool”)
UNIT Factory is open to everyone between the ages of 18 and 30, regardless of academic criteria (diplomas, grades, etc.).
First registration (2016):
- more than 13,000 applications;
- 600 candidates went through the probationary period;
- 280 people were admitted to the UNIT Factory in November 2017;
- Most are between 18 and 23 years old.
- 61% of the first students had only basic programming knowledge before UNIT Factory and 16% had no programming knowledge.
The 2017 selection process has already begun. The number of students is to be increased to 800 by the end of 2017.
UNIT Factory was created by Vasyl Khmelnytsky’s K.Fund in collaboration with France’s École 42. The facility is the key element of the UNIT.City Innovation Park ecosystem.
UNIT Factory website: https://unit.ua/