Atanas Shalaverov
In the “America for Bulgaria” lecture theatre at the Rectorate of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” the results of the completion of the “Career IT” Project for the past two years were announced. The project has been sponsored within the framework of the global “Microsoft” YouthSpark initiative and has been executed by the Alumni Association at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” (FEBA Alumni) in partnership with faculty from Sofia University.
The event was attended by Professor Dr. Ivan Ilchev, Rector of Sofia University, Mr. Petur Ivanov, Executive Director of “Microsift” Bulgaria, Mr. Teodor Milev, “Microsoft” Director for South Eastern Europe, Ms Milena Damyanova, Chairperson of the Commission for Education and Science at the 43rd National Assembly, Associate Professor Todor Popov, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Sofia University, Ms Sevdalina Vasileva, Chairperson of the Alumni Club at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (FEBA Alumni) at Sofia University, students and their teachers from schools that participated in the project.
Professor Ivanka Mavrodieva from the Faculty of Philosophy at Sofia University opened the meeting and welcomed the guests. She reminded them of the meeting held last year with students from the “Ivan Momchilov” School from the town of Elena and presented the project for the career of young people in the digital era. It included 41 schools and 20 000 school students. The participants in the project were part of a global international structure: more than 400 000 school students from 130 countries. The students competed on equal terms and the results achieved were of global standard.
Mr. Petur Ivanov, Executive Director of “Microsoft” Bulgaria, announced the financial sponsorship for the third consecutive year of the “Career IT” Project and handed a cheque to Associate Professor Todor Popov, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Management, and to Ms Sevdalina Vasileva, Chairperson of FEBA Alumni. The Project demonstrates a successful model of public-private partnership between high academic education, the business circles and the non-government sector, aimed at adding value to school education and the development of skills and competences necessary for successful professional realization.
For a third consecutive year the “Microsoft” company through its YouthSpark global initiative has been financing the “Career IT” Project, the latter has been realized by the FEBA Alumni in partnership with faculty from Sofia University. The financial support for 2015 amounts $ 64 698, and in that way the overall financing comes to more than $ 160 000.
The objective of the “Career IT” Project is to involve both school students from remote and rural areas (predominantly from North Western and North Eastern Bulgaria, areas showing the worst indicators in their economic development) and young people threatened by marginalization due to the poverty their families live in. The target group are students in the 15 – 19 age group from schools in the economically underdeveloped regions. In view of embracing the whole target group, preliminary work was done with their teachers, the latter encouraging them to participate in a number of online training activities and meetings on the spot at the schools.
Mr. Petur Ivanov pointed out that at the moment the rate of unemployment among the youth was twice higher than that among adults and the tendency is turning into a global problem. The main skills that are in great demand in digital economy are computer skills and it is crucial to give equal start to all young people irrespective of the fact where they live so that they will be included in the digital economy.
Mr. Petur Ivanov stressed the fact that it was an honour for “Microsoft” to partner with the Faculty of Economics and Business Management at Sofia University. The decision of the company to support the IT careers and to cooperate with the Faculty of Economics and Business Management came as a result of good knowledge of the business and the possibility to channel the efforts of these young people in their development. “We are doing our best to teach people entrepreneurship, too, because they will be more successful in their business that way,” added Mr. Petur Ivanov. The trainees taught thus far at the IT Academy come to 480. While addressing the young people present in the lecture theatre, Mr. Ivanov appealed to them to be proud of their talent and of the fact that they were Bulgarians.
Prof. Dr. Ivan Ilchev welcomed the guests of the oldest and the best Bulgarian University. He reminded the audience of the fact that several days before school students coached by lecturers from the Faculty of Physics, the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy and the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics had won silver medals at the European Olympics of the natural sciences. “The prizes are won by students who were brought up in the worst financed educational system in Europe,” said the Rector.
“Money is not the most important factor, but comes first from amongst the secondary ones,” went on Professor Ilchev, quoting Erich Kästner’s Der Kleine Mann. “Those of you who will work in the IT domain will have the rare luck to earn a good living with their hobby. Yet, to be well prepared in your sphere of work I appeal to you all to apply to become students at Sofia University. I wish you every further success,” Professor Ilchev concluded.
The name of the student who achieved top results in the national rounds of the biggest MOS World Championship computer competition, Atanas Shalaverov from XIIA Form of the “Ivan Momchilov” School in Elena, was announced. He has scored 1000 points. More than 400 000 students from more than 130 countries took part in the competition last year.
“Deeply moved and with genuine gratitude.” These were the words with which Mr. Atanas Shalaverov described how he felt on that solemn occasion. He recounted how, together with his classmates and encouraged by their teacher Svetoslav Mihailov, they decided to avail themselves of the opportunity given by “Microsoft” and Sofia University.
Mr. Svetoslav Mihailov Talked about the way his students had achieved their remarkable results. “First, we got the chance thanks to Sofia University and “Microsoft”; second, we have very bright students who want to learn, and, third, the students defended their knowledge.” As a result of that, at the end of 2014 ten students were successfully certified for Power Point 2013.
Mr. Svetoslav Mihailov thanked “Microsoft”, FEBA Alumni and Mr. Nikolay Netov without whose assistance the project would have never been realized.
Ms Sevdalina Vasileva, Chairperson of FEBA Alumni at Sofia University, noted that that was one of those days when, with joy and self-confidence, we can share with the general public that good deeds and valuable projects can be materialized in Bulgaria, too. They take place here and now, without much ado, and they also bring fruitful results.
On behalf of the FEBA Alumni at Sofia University she expressed her gratitude to the partners from “Microsoft” for their trust and support in training young people skills for a successful professional realization. “It is both an honour and responsibility for us that for two consecutive years already we have been cooperating with “Microsoft”” in their YouthSpark international initiative and the “Career IT” Project.
FEBA Alumni at Sofia University is one of the first alumni organizations in this country and has been active for about 11 years now. “The mission of the Alumni Club is to maintain an active dialogue amongst the young people, the business circles, the institutions and academia, and promote cooperation among them,” Ms Sevdalina Vasileva said. She added that over the past few years, jointly with the Faculty of Economics and Business Management at Sofia University, they have put a lot of effort into improving the level of education aiming at better professional orientation and inculcation of skills, so that after completing their academic courses the graduates would easily fit in the contemporary business environment.
“The “Career IT” Project is a significant step in this direction because it helps the students acquire such skills,“ said Ms Sevdalina Vasileva and presented the three main parts of the project. Firstly, the teaching is online and covers both digital competences and IT skills, and on the spot teaching sessions at the schools. All students receive a Certificate for the tuition products that is required by the business circles. The next step is to receive an internationally licensed certification for the acquired skills. The second activity covers entrepreneurship, an educational programme prepared in partnership with lecturers from the Faculty of Economics and Business Management at Sofia University, whereby all students are involved in providing a solution to the specific cases. The third activity is career development and mentorship: it involves FEBA Alumni from various business domains who share their own career progress (sectors: IT, banks, health care, energy, food industry and retail).
Associate Professor Todor Popov, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Management, expressed his deep satisfaction that the better part of the graduates of the Faculty worked in places outside the capital now. He extended his best wishes to everyone and appealed to them to use the success of the FEBA Alumni as their yardstick in their own business.
Ms Milena Damyanova said that it was both an honour and a pleasure for her to be in the midst of those present on that special day because she thought that it was such events that epitomize the real reforms and show how the reforms in Bulgarian education should be carried out.
“Recently I have had several times the bad luck to provide explanation as to what the reasons for the high illiteracy level amongst young Bulgarians are. It is as if society would keep on rubbing in something we failed to achieve and, at the same time, it will neglect such seemingly small, yet very important events in the history of Bulgarian education,” said Ms Milena Damyanova and pointed out that the project came as yet another proof that the business circles, the high academic education, the school education could all work together to achieve optimal results.
Mr. Teodor Iliev, Director of “”Microsoft” for Central and Eastern Europe, supported the appeal of the Rector of Sofia University that young people do their best to receive their academic education at Sofia University. “It is a pleasure for “Microsoft” to partner not only with bright students but also with the institutions represented in this lecture theatre, whose ultimate aim is to make you and your classmates both our future colleagues and also people who are successful and happy. Congratulations on your achievements! May success be with you!” said Mr. Teodor Milev in conclusion.