​Yulia Korneyeva

Zheleznogorsk, Russia
 

Yulia Korneyeva was 23 when she first learned to use ICT at a telecentre. Recently laid off and looking for a job, Yulia realized that although she had some basic computer skills, she lacked the necessary knowledge to apply for the positions she wanted. "Every job ad required proficiency in MS Office software, Outlook, other similar applications and other software," she says, "That is why I started looking for IT courses in my town."

Determined to learn, she came across an ad on a free ICT course entitled: "Your Course: Advanced Digital Literacy." The classes were based in the municipal organization's city training centre, making it ideal for Yulia to attend. She quickly filled out the online application and on February 2012 found herself studying with a group of students also looking to build on their online skills. Under the tutelage of Yuriy Anatolievich Liventsev, who she describes as an "excellent tutor," Yulia quickly learned how to use MS Office applications and online services and became an advanced user of e-government services, even learning about IT security and programming. "Before this course I had used the computer only for going online and exchanging emails," Yulia shares, "Going to classes every day, I started thinking about the role of the Internet in the modern society. It "conquered" the world, deleting borders between countries. You can read the weather forecast not necessarily online, but watching TV, you can read news in the newspaper and talk to your friends using SMS. Information and communication technologies serve as an engine of modern life. All of us are getting involved into the information environment. The future is connected with ICT, you cannot avoid it."
 

After graduating with honors from the course at the training centre, Yulia was offered a job at the centre of information and analysis in the department of education management, working with her former tutor Yuriy, who is also the center's manager. Says Yulia, "I had never thought before that my life would be connected with ICT and statistics, because I have linguistic background but knowledge of Excel is a requirement in my new job. It allows me to manage my time in information analysis and quantitative research."
 

Today, Yulia is flourishing in her job where she has been for a year. It is apparent that she enjoys her work: "This is the best centre of information and analysis in the region. Our centre is always in the middle of innovations," she says proudly, "Many projects in the field of using ICT in education start in the City of Zheleznogorsk. We cooperate with educational establishments – public schools, daycares and various schools of advanced studies. Our centre helps teachers and students with ICT. ICT help school administrators to organize the information. Modern technologies help organize reports and other necessary paper work. Moreover, we need significantly less time to prepare a few reports simultaneously. Nowadays it is obvious for everybody that ICT is the future."
 

When asked if she has any message for students who have not yet fully immersed themselves in the world of ICT, Yuliya has this to say: "ICT is the entrance into the new world, the world of the new technologies and the world of new opportunities. Don't be afraid to jump into this world. It will bring a lot of new and interesting things in your life and you will manage to succeed. You only have to desire this."