Dimo Chanev got his first job offer in high school after impressing his future employer with his programming skills, acquired at Telerik Academy. Technology stopped being just a means of entertainment for fourth grader Nikolay Yalamov after he enrolled in the Academy. “His focus has shifted from computer games to something constructive. Creating things makes him happy, and his successes in competitions motivate him even more,” says Emilia Yalamova, Nikolay’s mother.
Graduates of Telerik Academy receive recognition in many areas. They make up more than half of participants in national IT competitions for 4th–7th graders, in which they traditionally rank first; they also do well in the European Junior Olympiad in Informatics (eJOI). Bulgaria is among the top five countries with the most medals from IT competitions, with every third contestant in grades 4–6 being a graduate of the Academy. Nearly 80 percent of top rankers in the 10–12 age group have studied there.
The Academy’s mission is to train the next generation of digital leaders. At the end of 2017, Telerik Academy and ABF joined forces to support the development of children’s potential, science, and qualifications for the jobs of the future in Bulgaria. As a result, more than 8,000 talented children and teens from across the country will have free access to first-rate IT education.
Thanks to its partnership with ABF, Telerik Academy will be able to expand the number and scope of its student initiatives every year. New digital science and game development programs for children and adolescents were launched in Sofia, Gabrovo, Vratsa, and Razgrad in 2018, bringing the number of Academy youth programs to 50 in twelve cities.
The driving force behind the Academy and its programs are the founders of Telerik, one of the most successful technology companies in Eastern Europe. They apply their experience in developing a successful business and their knowledge of high technology to give many young people access to careers in IT and other high-growth spheres.
“Having digital skills is a prerequisite for job success today. Telerik Academy doesn’t want all children to become developers when they grow up. We want to give the next generation the necessary knowledge and skills to become valuable professionals regardless of their industry of choice,” says Peter Sharkov, general manager of youth initiatives at Telerik Academy.
