Penza, 1 July 2015. PenzaNews. The Penza Software Developets Association “Secon” and the Center of Cluster Development have organized the third IT laboratory in the region. The official opening ceremony was held at the “Dymosfera” meeting hall on Wednesday, July 1.

© PenzaNewsBuy the photo

According to Maxim Semenkin, president of “Secon,” the project is formed as an open space where beginner programmers, university and even school students will be able to test their skills, take an internship or simply learn something in a circle of like-minded people under the guidance of professionals.

“Those who will take through the IT laboratory and follow all our recommendations will make a giant step into the industry, since you will be not students but people who get what’s happening in the IT sphere and speak the language of the professionals. Sadly, you don’t always get these skills in a university, but in this laboratory, you will,” he ensured the audience.

Those who will be working in the project must show their initiative and work hard, Maxim Semenkin added.

“The IT laboratory works five days a week, eight hours every day. Which means you will be working on real projects just like in a full-fledged company,” he explained.

According to the head of the Software Developers Association, many graduates of the project in the previous years found it easy to get jobs in big companies in the field.

“Moreover, we also have grants from Innopolis University for the best lab assistants,” Maxim Semenkin said.

In his turn, Mikhail Lyashkov, general director of the Center of Cluster Development, praised the unique character of the IT laboratory in Penza, saying it is a one-of-a-kind project for Russia.

“I would like to wish you to become the professionals in your field and enter the adult life as good people with good skills,” he addressed the participants.

Igor Krevsky, director of the regional online education department of the Penza State Univesity, joined the previous speaker.

“The association created an entirely unique possibility for the students to have practice work – with actual companies, in actual projects, to get the real work experience nothing else can replace. I hope you will graduate it with much more skills than at its start,” he said.

The official opening ceremony was followed by a presentation of Innopolis University by Maxim Antonenko, head of magister’s degree programs for the institution, who gave a detailed tour through their education potential.

Moreover, the opening featured a lecture “How to Avoid Mistakes when Launching Software Projects Under Severe Resource Limitations” by Artem Vorobyev from “Grid Dynamics,” as well as speeches from the graduates of the previous IT laboratories, project concept presentations, team formations and other informal events.