The Sixth Season of Boot Camp by Kharkiv IT Cluster Is Launching!

Starting a career in IT can feel like a closed loop: companies expect experience, yet gaining it without prior teamwork is nearly impossible. To bridge this gap between education and the industry, Kharkiv IT Cluster has been running Boot Camp for the sixth consecutive year.

Boot Camp is designed for those ready to take their first conscious step into IT: work on a real product, understand the logic of team-based development, and move through the entire journey — from idea to final result.

What Is Boot Camp?

Boot Camp is a project by Kharkiv IT Cluster where participants unite in cross-functional teams — developers, designers, testers, managers — and collaboratively build a real IT product from concept to a ready solution.

The work is structured around continuous mentor support. Mentors are IT company professionals who guide teams at every stage: helping establish processes, understand team roles, shape product vision, and make decisions aligned with industry standards.

The value of Boot Camp lies in the opportunity to experience the profession from within — without the risks and pressure of commercial responsibility. It is a space to make mistakes, ask questions, discover your role in a team, and understand what real IT work looks like.

Humanity in Tech — The Focus of 2026

The sixth season of Boot Camp centers on Humanity in Tech — technology with a human face. Throughout the season, teams will work on products aimed at improving people’s everyday lives. These include solutions for education, volunteering, safety, health, and the environment — areas where technology can and must serve communities.

A special focus this season is the responsible use of technology. We address ethics and accountability in digital product development and artificial intelligence, service accessibility for diverse users, psychological safety, and thoughtful, human-centered solution design.

Participants do not need to come up with project topics independently — mentors provide ideas and project directions.

Who Can Apply?

Boot Camp welcomes:

• students of technical specialties
• IT school graduates
• career switchers
• trainee and junior specialists

Applicants should have foundational knowledge and skills in their field, a desire to gain hands-on team experience, and the readiness to dedicate approximately 2 hours per day to project work.

Format, Launch, and Key Dates

The project is conducted online and lasts 2 months. After registration, participants go through a selection process, based on which teams are formed. Throughout the program, teams regularly meet with mentors, receive feedback, and steadily progress toward the final result.

• Until March 18 — participant registration
• Until April 8 — selection into teams (CV review and interviews)
• April 10 — project opening
• April 13 – June 12 — project development phase
• June 18 — final project presentations

What Will Participants Gain?

• Teamwork skills
• Understanding of internal IT processes
• A completed project for their portfolio
• Certificate of participation
• First professional connections

Boot Camp is a powerful networking platform — connecting like-minded peers, mentors, and companies, and opening opportunities for future collaboration or internships.

How to Join?

To become a Boot Camp participant:

1. Complete the registration form by March 18;
2. Pass the selection process (CV/portfolio review and interview; test assignment if required);
3. Receive confirmation and join a team.

Fill out the registration form

Results of Previous Seasons

In previous Boot Camp seasons, participants developed projects in education, social services, volunteering, and digital tools for communities.

For many, Boot Camp became the first significant achievement in their CV — and for some, the starting point of a career in IT companies.

What Was Boot Camp 2025 Like?

Courage defines the start — take your first step into IT.

Join Boot Camp 2026