The project’s initiators
The project is led by StrategEast jointly with EPAM company.
About StrategEast: Washington based strategic center whose goal is to reinforce the values of rule of law and intellectual property protection in Eurasian and Baltic countries through the transition from natural resources-based to a knowledge-driven economy.
About EPAM: largest US-based publicly traded IT software engineering and IT consulting services company, whose major activities are centered in Eurasian countries and in Eastern Europe.
The project’s goals
Еhe goals of the project are the following:
- Promote the Region as a “welcoming to business” while hosting internationally known leading IT brands. If big names of IT companies will arrive in the region, other non-IT industries will follow.
- Support young university graduates in the region; provide them with the opportunity to find work in the region without leaving it.
- Strengthen the region’s economy while creating a new layer of high-income people, which will become the future “buyers’ power”.
- Promote non-IT job opportunities. The penetration of the IT industry into the area will make “side effect” of creating additional jobs in support sectors, including HR managers, office managers, cleaners, accountants, chefs, security, etc. On average, an IT expert creates three more job positions around him.
About the project
Launch of the IT Hub in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan will become an educational and communicative center for young locals who work or are willing to work in the IT sphere.
The Hub is envisaged as a small meetup space – a space to organize small meetings of up to 20-25 people with a ‘hoteling’ office environment. It could be transformative to change from hoteling to mid-size conference room.
A small EPAM team of about 3-5 people (might grow to 10) will coordinate educational activities, interviews, Q&A sessions, specialized pieces of training and local management activities by linking the local community to EPAM remote educational and production activities.
Moreover, to connect EPAM stuff around the world with the Hub residents for training and education there will be organized a series of production meetings, video conferencing, etc.
The Hub could be extended to have a permanent space to fit 50 people for weekend or evening classes and use it during the day for practical labs and some production activities.
If such activities prove to be successful, EPAM potentially will open a real production office with up to 50-100 people and the Hub would then continue to operate just as an educational office to blend remote training with practical labs run by EPAM instructors – basically ‘Training Space’ to connect to EPAM distributed educational network.
Expected outcomes
As a result of the project in Bishkek, the first ever-existing community of well-trained IT professionals, who constantly improve their knowledge in accordance with the latest requirements of the global IT market, will be created. The IT Hub will become a center of attraction for both current professionals and educated young people who will be able to try themselves in the IT sphere for the first time. Becoming heaven of the modern Western lifestyle, the industry standards of Western corporate culture, the IT Hub will be the best marketing tool to promote these values among Bishkek youth. Young locals will know: it is here that they acquire modern knowledge and skills that enable them to integrate into global IT production.
For global IT investors considering Kyrgyzstan as a potential investment site or as a labor market, the IT HUB will be the entry point into the country, where investors will be familiarized with the specifics of the local legislature, help meet potential employees or find local partners.
Attracting Western investors or employers will not only create new, high-paying jobs that will allow young people stay in the country, but will also start establishing the rules of the IT market in Kyrgyzstan – in particular, improve intellectual property protection legislation.
