LocationsEntering IT at 16: How Belarusian Colleges Are Training Future Developers
May 7, 2025
Technology is rapidly reshaping industries around the world. From agriculture to construction, companies are increasingly seeking workers with programming skills, while demand for physical labor continues to decline.
A recent UNDP study found that 80% of emerging jobs now require digital competencies. Over the next decade, professionals who master these skills are expected to lead the job market.
The Rise of Mobile App Development
In Belarus, the growing demand for IT specialists is being met not only by universities but also through vocational education, offering young people a pathway into the tech industry as early as age 16. More than 30 colleges now teach foundations of computer science, covering programming languages, database management, software development, and testing. Graduates leave as skilled and adaptable professionals - ready to enter the job market as junior developers or pursue further education.
Some colleges also offer specialized tracks, with mobile app development being one of the most popular among students. As the mobile app market expands rapidly, so does the demand for professionals who can design, build, and maintain the software.
Training the trainers: Building expertise from the ground up
A formal curriculum isn’t the only route to acquiring in-demand skills. Mobile app development is also one of the disciplines featured in the national professional skills competition, where students put their knowledge to the test.
This spring, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Belarus held its first-ever training for experts in this field. Ten educators from across the country took part in the three-day course, which included six modules covering competition judging, student coaching, and evaluation criteria.
Sergey Klimovich, a mobile app developer at Rostelecom and manager of the Mobile Application Development competency in Russia, led the training. The UNDP program 'Russian Experts for International Development' has made it possible to bring in international expertise to enhance the skills of Belarusian specialists.
According to Sergey, the discipline still receives limited attention in many colleges, despite the growing demand for mobile app developers.
Sergey Klimovich, mobile app developer at Rostelecom and manager of the mobile application development competency in Russia
“Skills in mobile app development are highly sought-after in today’s job market,” said Sergey. “Yet in most colleges, it’s only a single module within the broader training for software technicians - typically covered in just one or two semesters. The situation is slightly better in Belarus than in Russia. Here, some institutions offer ‘mobile device programming’ as a stand-alone specialty. In Russia, this is still only being planned.”
Sergey believes the key to changing this lies in preparing strong, motivated educators who are eager to learn new tools and integrate them into the classroom. This was one of the main topics addressed during the training. Building a community of experts in Belarus, he said, could elevate Belarus’s own professional standards and boost its competitiveness on the international stage.
“In Russia, we’ve created an expert forum - a dedicated space for discussions, news sharing, and problem-solving. It keeps everyone updated and engaged. I’ve now invited Belarusian colleagues to join, which I hope will give them a wider perspective on industry challenges,” he added.
Is winning a launchpad for careers in IT?
Belarusian students have consistently achieved strong results in mobile app development—not only at national competitions but also on the international stage. Taking part in these events helps them refine their skills and enhance their employability even before graduation.
Dionisiy Brovka, teacher at the Minsk State College of Digital Technologies and expert in mobile app development
“At competitions, there’s fierce enthusiasm and motivation among students. They recognize this isn’t just theory – the design of mobile apps is something very tangible, very real,” explains Dionisiy Brovka, a teacher at the Minsk State College of Digital Technologies and an expert in mobile app development. “Winning - or simply taking part - becomes a real asset when applying for jobs.”
Sergey Klimovich also stressed that the goal of these competitions is not just medals but career opportunities.
“For young students, professional mastery contests have become a launchpad into careers - sometimes even before they graduate. Take last year’s winner of a Russian skills competition: still only in her final year of school, the 11th grader impressed judges so much that she was immediately offered a role at a startup. This isn’t a one-off,” says Sergei. “We’re seeing more and more young talents getting real-world opportunities straight from these events.”
Apps that solve real-world problems
More than just coding exercises, students develop apps to solve real-life issues. Teaching staff encourages them to identify actual problems before diving into software creation.
Dionisiy Brovka, a teacher at the Minsk State College of Digital Technologies, says:
"I always remind my students: before building any software, they must first ask who actually needs it. It’s not about abstract theories - it’s about solving problems for real people. Take one of my students, for instance. Their final project was an interactive tutorial on internal combustion engines. While talking to peers, they realized many lacked access to physical engines for hands-on learning. The digital solution they created didn’t just fill a gap; it became a valuable tool for both students and instructors. A perfect case study in purposeful innovation."
Another example of a student-led project designed to enhance the learning process is a pocket reference guide for agronomists, developed by a student at the Gomel State Agrarian and Economic College. Their teacher, Svetlana Kukharenko, also participated in the training for experts.
"The app helps study cultivation techniques," she explains. "It provides step-by-step guidance on growing staple crops like potatoes. To reinforce learning, students can test their knowledge through interactive quizzes. Beyond theory, the app offers practical analytics, suggesting areas for improvement. The impact goes beyond self-study: some educators have even incorporated it into their lessons."
Svetlana Kukharenko, teacher at the Gomel State Agrarian and Economic College and expert in mobile app development
Enhancing the qualifications of teachers and strengthening their expert community is a key step toward modernising the vocational education system. This will enable young people to master the "professions of the future" and remain in demand in the labour market amidst rapid technological changes.
In total, 225 teachers and instructors participated in training sessions on 23 competencies between 2024 and 2025, with UNDP's support.
The training was conducted within the 'Developing Youth Innovation Potential for Accelerated Sustainable Development' project implemented by UNDP Belarus in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Republican Institute for Vocational Education and funded by the Russian Federation-UNDP Trust Fund for Development.
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