The Unobvious Guarantee of Success: How Student Mentoring Affects Long-Term Company Development

Modern, high-quality education that meets the demands of the tech market is one of the goals of the Lviv IT Cluster. Together with four universities in Lviv, the community has already modernized and launched 19 tech-related bachelor’s programs. In each program, students work on their own projects starting from their first year in collaboration with specialists from the Lviv IT Cluster’s member companies. The benefits of collaborating with universities and encouraging employees to work with students were discussed at a meetup organized by the Lviv IT Cluster at IT Arena 2023.

The technology industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors. Therefore, a key to success, both personally and for tech companies, is implementing a culture of lifelong learning within teams. This involves the concept of continuous learning throughout one’s life. Engaging experts to work with students is one way to instill this lifestyle in professionals. Such collaboration fosters initiative, the ability to seek necessary information, the capacity to independently identify one’s learning needs, and a strong motivation for mentoring skills.

Oksana Vakshynska leads the Customer Marketing and Sales Support department at Intellias. This year, she ventured into mentoring first-year students of the IT Sales program. Oksana is genuinely impressed by how rapidly the students acquire and enhance their skills. Their swift progress serves as a source of inspiration for her own self-improvement.

Teamwork between students and mentors is not a one-sided process where the mentor simply imparts knowledge; it’s an opportunity for professionals to enhance their leadership skills, facilitated by the Lviv IT Cluster. The community is actively developing a mentor support program, and the most accomplished experts from participating companies offer training to the Mentors Community on various topics, including leadership, collaboration, critical thinking, and self-presentation. Businesses derive significant benefits from this initiative.

“Companies benefit from having mentors among their employees. They have a high level of responsibility, dedication to the cause, and a willingness to share knowledge. Furthermore, if a mentor can explain complex concepts to students in simple terms, they can easily communicate with clients, especially in sales. As a result, this contributes to business growth,” adds Oksana Vakshynska, Head of Customer Marketing and Sales Enablement at Intellias.

The importance of integrating student mentoring into the leadership development of employees was emphasized by the discussion moderator, Natalia Kuba. As the head of the SoftServe Center for Learning Excellence, she is dedicated to building a multifaceted talent development ecosystem. Drawing from her extensive experience, Natalia understands that the success of collaboration hinges on the ability to forge a cohesive team among the students. It’s essential for everyone to recognize that together, they can achieve more than they can individually.

“Remember that value is created through the interaction of the entire team, so it’s important for a mentor to cultivate a culture of trust and leadership in order to fully integrate and engage everyone in collaboration,” says Natalia Kuba, Director of the Center for Learning Excellence at SoftServe.

Building trusting relationships with students can help make a business more attractive to young talent. Mykhailo Hryhorash, Delivery Director at Levi9, believes that mentors can learn how to make a company exciting and relevant. He actively works with first-year students of the Business Analytics & Data Science program.

“The market for young professionals has declined. However, when it rebounds after the war, the companies with ties with universities, whose experts have worked with students, will have an advantage and the necessary connections to attract new talents quickly,” says Mykhailo Hryhorash, Delivery Director at Levi9.

Engaging employees in teaching young talents at universities is a long-term investment with immeasurable value, as stated by Maria Drebot, an HR expert with over eight years of experience. Youth already familiarize themselves with a company’s corporate culture and the tech industry during their student years.

“The goal of a talent management strategy is, without a doubt, to support the new generation, help students understand various roles in the company, and contribute to our future. The new generation consists of confident individuals with established values. They will change our worldview, help implement, and create many new ideas that will advance businesses and the tech industry as a whole,” says Maria Drebot, HR Manager at inVerita.

Therefore, collaboration with students can guarantee long-term prospects for businesses. Employees engaged in mentoring feel the significance of their work and experience faster professional growth. Students gain quality knowledge that is relevant to the industry’s demands.

This understanding is shared by the Lviv IT Cluster member companies. Eight of them –  InterLogic, SoftServe, GlobalLogic, Intellias, Ciklum, Brainstack_, Inoxoft, Binariks – have joined the Mentor Support Program. In total, the Mentors Community has brought together over a hundred mentors. If your company also wants to contribute to the development of Ukrainian tech education and mentorship culture, please get in touch with the Lviv IT Cluster University Programs Lead, Oleh Leskiv: 063 95 42 164, oleh.leskiv@itcluster.lviv.ua.