USAID Youth Development Activity (YDA) successfully completed the 2nd cycle of the TechYouth Bootcamp program in the City of Mary. The program was implemented in partnership with the Algorithm training center of the Akylly Hyzmat Economic Society from May to November 2024.

USAID YDA’s TechYouth Bootcamp program is aimed at training young IT professionals and offers intensive courses with a full immersion in a bootcamp format. The goal of the program is to equip youth with in-demand professional skills, enhancing their job prospects.

The program started in 2022 and has been successfully implemented in Ashgabat, Mary, and Turkmenabat since then.

On November 19, 2024, USAID YDA held a certificate ceremony for the graduates of the 2nd cycle of the TechYouth Bootcamp program at the Algorithm Training Center of Akylly Hyzmat Economic Society in Mary. Andrew Berdy, Deputy Chief of Mission to Turkmenistan and Jeffrey Skarin, USAID Country Representative to Turkmenistan attended the ceremony.

During the six-month program, 35 participants mastered skills in either IT System Maintenance and Administration or Graphic Design. The IT system maintenance and administration course covered the basics of network technologies, server administration, data security, and user technical support. Participants acquired skills in configuring and managing network devices, as well as solving IT infrastructure-related issues.

The graphic design course included topics such as the basics of composition, color theory, working with graphic editors (like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator), creating logos and branding materials, and developing layouts for print and digital products. Both courses combined lectures with practical sessions, allowing participants to work on real projects for local companies.

Within the second Mary cycle, 35 program graduates acquired professions that are in demand in the local labor market. More than half have already secured employment with local companies, and many others are expected to receive job offers in the coming weeks.

USAID YDA plans to launch the next cycles of the TechYouth Bootcamp program in all five provinces in the future.