ITSkills4U learner success: From small business owner to cloud computing expert

Anastasiia

During her three months living as a refugee in Turkey, Anastasiia Moiseienko made a decision. Originally from Mariupol, Anastasiia move to Kyiv in 2012 to study international economics. She later worked for SWIFT, helping manage digital financial transactions, but lost her job there in 2014 after the Russian invasion of Crimea and Donbas. For nearly a decade after that, she’d owned and operated a beauty salon in Kyiv – a job she loved. She’d closed it in 2020 to have a baby and focus on being a new mother, but had planned to re-open at some point.

But when the war started, she realized that likely wasn’t going to happen. While in Turkey, she realized how badly she wanted to get back to working in IT. She started scouring the internet, learning about the various roles and skills needed to perform well in them. Following an extensive search, she decided that Cloud DevOps was the career she wanted to pursue.

After returning to Kyiv with her daughter, Anastasiia got to work studying her new field of choice. She signed up as a trainee with EPAM Cloud & DevOps program, where she was able to hone her skills during an intensive five-month course. It was there that she first heard about the AWS-led ITSkills4U program. “Once I learned that I could get AWS Certified, and that it was free, I knew I had to do it. The skills offered by the ITSkills4U program are critical for the DevOps career I wanted,” she remarked.

Anastasiia signed up for two ITSkills4U courses, preparing for both the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate certifications, both of which she’s now passed. “Don’t let the word ‘IT’ scare you off,” she advised. “If you’re really determined and are interested in this field, you can develop the skills you need. ITSkills4U is the perfect opportunity to dive into this.” Since then, she’s also passed the AWS Certified SysOps Administrator – Associate exam, and is currently preparing for the AWS Certified Developer – Associate exam.

Her certifications have now opened up new opportunities, including an upcoming paid internship with a Polish company called Transition Technologies, an AWS Partner. Anastasiia got connected with Transition Technologies at a job fair organized by ITSkills4U. In this role, she’ll be able to directly apply her new AWS skills by configuring infrastructure and maintaining code in the cloud. It’s an opportunity that would have never come her way without the knowledge she acquired in the ITSkills4U program.

Even with these career successes, the last year has been very challenging. “I’m from Mariupol and my husband is originally from Donetsk. So if you know those places, you know that the war has been very personal for us. It’s hard to think about and hard to speak to our family who are still there. We have to face that every day.”

But despite these recent challenges, Anastasiia has persevered, driven by her determination and passion for technology. She is grateful for the opportunities that AWS Partner EPAM, ITSkills4U, and AWS have provided to Ukrainians in difficult situations. With her newfound skills and experience, she is now better equipped to face the future and continue building a rewarding career in cloud computing.

Developed by AWS, ITSkills4U is a free, cloud computing workforce development program for Ukrainians. The comprehensive program offers self-paced learning, AWS instructor-led training, exam preparation, language classes, and career support services. With a diverse enrollment of IT professionals, individuals with some experience, and those with no IT background, the program has garnered support from the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the Polish Government. More than 40 AWS customers and AWS Partners serve as ITSkills4U employment partners, and ITSkills4U works alongside education institutions, AWS Training Partners, and AWS re/Start collaborating organizations to deliver the curriculum. The program is funded by AWS with contributions from donors, and led in partnership with Polish NGO ZPP. Learn more.

EPAM Systems, Inc. (EPAM) is AWS Premier Tier Services Partner and AWS Training Partner. As one of the three AWS Training Partners delivering AWS-authorized training under the ITSkills4U program, EPAM is proud to support individuals like Anastasiia in achieving their career goals in cloud computing.

Story written by Ryan Murray