Před prázdninami naši javisté spojili své síly s neziskovou společností Czechitas a musíme říct, že je to jízda. Czechitas zprostředkovává IT vzdělání ženám a postupně boří mýtus o tom, že kariéra v IT je jen pro muže.
Before the holidays, our Java developers teamed up with the non-profit organization Czechitas, and we have to say—it was a blast! Czechitas provides IT education to women and is helping to break the myth that a career in IT is only for men.
Although there are still fewer women in IT, it doesn’t mean they lack interest or willingness to work in the field. The proof lies in the courses filled with women passionate about programming.
Inspiring stories from many of them show that we can find promising software designers, analysts, testers, and programmers among them. We enjoyed the search, and it’s a great motivation for us to support their education.
Did You Know?
- Of the nearly 8.2 million ICT professionals in the EU, only 16.7% are women (Eurostat, 2016).
- In the Czech Republic, women make up 30% of the workforce, with a third holding senior and managerial positions.
From Workshop to Digital Academy
What started for us in May with a one-day workshop on the basics of Java programming has evolved into the Digital Academy—a series of intensive Java courses for beginners.
During the Digital Academy, participants will develop their logical thinking skills, discover multiple ways to solve problems, recognize patterns, and tackle various programming challenges. The main goal is for them to learn the fundamentals of Java and how to work with different tools over the three-month program, which includes both compulsory and elective courses.
“After the first workshop, I was pleasantly surprised by how many girls were more advanced than I initially expected. Of course, many of them struggled with Java—that’s natural, and that’s why we run these courses. But a lot of them understood what they were doing, and that motivates me to keep training them.”
— Vladimír Kočur, Senior Consultant
A Challenging but Rewarding Journey
The course requires a significant time investment—three days a week with lecturers, plus self-study and homework that keeps participants busy between sessions. However, they are supported throughout by experienced mentors who are always ready to help.
The academy concludes with a full-day hackathon, where participants apply their newly acquired knowledge. In small teams, they work on a real-world project as their final assignment.
Java: Our Daily Bread
When it comes to developing web applications, Java is our daily bread. Our teams in Ostrava, Brno, České Budějovice, and Prague see Java as a progressive and versatile language with a fast learning curve.
At Ness, we regularly host Javacoms—meetings where we discuss industry trends, share insights from professional conferences, and showcase our successful projects.
Every newcomer is assigned a mentor to guide them through their specialization. Additionally, we have an internal onboarding process to help new team members quickly understand the technologies we use.
In short: At Ness, Java is nothing to be afraid of.