"Enterprises should revise their educational initiatives frequently, rather than merely annually"
"Giving educational programs in universities a fresh coat of paint every now and then is crucial, suggests Ekaterina Kolesnikova, Deputy General Director of IT holding T1 for HR. She expounded upon this at a session titled "Staff for Data Economy. Preparing the Next Generation of IT Specialists," under CIPR-2025. Preparing competent workforce is a collective responsibility, she adds, involving universities, businesses, and the Ministry of Digital Development.
Behemoth in the Russian job market with 27,000 employees, IT holding T1 recognizes the need for graduates who can dive headfirst into real-world business tasks right out of college. To facilitate this, T1 provides students with an intimate look at business scenarios. While the Ministry of Digital Development shines the spotlight on stimulating collaboration between businesses and educational institutions, T1 shoulders a significant role.
T1 has a triumphant track record with MAI: together, they launched a master's program in big data and machine learning. This year, T1 partnered with six top universities, winning a Ministry of Digital Development competition to create joint bachelor's programs. This synergistic approach equips future professionals with an inkling of the contemporary business landscape, enabling IT companies to impart vital competencies to universities. The demand for additional education among students follows suit.
Last year, T1 initiate two education-focused projects: "IT Camp T1" garnered over 3,000 applications, with 130 applicants landing spots at T1. "Open Schools T1" trained more than 1,500 students and fledgling professionals in popular IT niches over two months. As hard skills become obsolete or evolve at lightning speed, fundamental knowledge, like physics, holds significance in the IT industry, Kolesnikova points out. Moreover, IT specialists must possess meta-skills to adapt swiftly to new professions.
"T1 job candidates ought to be adaptable, eager learners, equipped with critical thinking skills, and exemplary leadership abilities. We're witnessing a shift away from traditional leadership models, yet teamwork and people management skills remain indispensable in corporations. To foster this skill, T1 top managers share insights on honing leadership qualities at certain focus universities," shared Kolesnikova.
Universities collaborate with IT companies to modernize their curricula, often partnering with industry titans like Yandex[1][2]. These partnerships ensure the curriculum integrates practical, industry-relevant content and is backed financially by the companies. Moreover, faculty members, usually boasting backgrounds in AI and data science, ensure the education is both theoretically sound and applicable to the industry. Lastly, universities forge international partnerships, creating a global network to draw upon expertise and resources for updating programs in the IT sector. While T1 isn't among the search results, the collaboration strategy between Russian universities and IT companies is discernible."
[1] Universities partner with IT giants like Yandex to develop practical, industry-relevant curricula: https://habr.com/ru/company/yandex/blog/570808/
[2] Global partnerships help universities remain current in the IT sector: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2405456420300214
- Universities, organizations like IT holding T1, and businesses collaborate to modernize educational programs, integrating practical, industry-relevant content, as shown by partnerships with giants such as Yandex.
- Beyond the classroom, T1 offers personal-growth opportunities through education-focused projects, such as "IT Camp T1" and "Open Schools T1," fostering adaptable learners with critical thinking skills and leadership abilities, vital for the contemporary business landscape.
- In addition to updating curriculum content, universities also create an international network by forging partnerships, ensuring they remain current in education and self-development areas associated with the IT sector.
