Power of Resilience: Digital Upskilling for Ukrainian Women in Poland

While she has rich experiences in management and sales, Iryna recognized the growing importance of IT skills. She thus participated in the UNITAR 2023 “Bolstering Livelihoods: Digital Reskilling for Ukrainian Women Evacuees in Poland” programme to build digital skills and stay relevant in an ever-changing world.

Iryna came across the UNITAR Bolstering Livelihoods programme as she was researching opportunities for professional development. The first such training offered by UNITAR Division for Prosperity, the programme offered a focus on building high-demand digital skills to improve the participants’ employability. The course took place from October 2023 to March 2024 with the financial support of the Government and People of Japan, and over 500 Ukrainian women learned about data analytics, web design and cybersecurity.

In the programme, Iryna chose to focus on data analytics and GIS, which was organized in partnership with the Ukraine Catholic University and Japanese start-up company Eukarya respectively. She deemed the topics crucial for the modern business environment. While these topics were completely new to her, she was motivated by the challenge and eager to apply them to her work.

I’ve always believed in challenging myself. Data analytics and GIS were exactly the kind of challenge I needed to push my limits. The idea of mastering these complex subjects was both intimidating and exciting—so naturally, I had to go for it!” —Iryna Markina, manager, sales professional and UNITAR alumna.

Iryna sees data analytics and GIS growing in importance in the future, so learning about them would not only complement her existing skills and experiences but also open new opportunities for further career growth. 

Iryna liked the programme’s emphasis on practical skills, focusing on real-world applications and hands-on experience. She also appreciated the unique blend of international perspectives from the diverse programme partners, which included companies, academic institutions and NGOs from Japan, Poland and Ukraine.