April 21, 2006, St. Petersburg
It has been two and a half months since Arcadia, Inc., in cooperation with St. Petersburg State University of Informational Technologies, Mechanics and Optics (ITMO) started a students' educational program on the subject of “Software Testing”. This project has been running successfully on mutually beneficial basis.
During the spring term, forth-year students are studying the “Software Testing” subject and will have an opportunity to d o practical work in Arcadia .
Arcadia initiated the idea of target education and training in the field of testing, collaborating with its long-term partner ITMO in the Fall of 2005. Arcadia , together with ITMO's Informatics and Applied Mathematics Department, developed a course of lectures and seminars considering latest technologies and working outs in the field.
The theoretical material is delivered to the students of Computer Technologies Faculty by T. A. Pavlovskaya, a professor of Informatics and Applied Mathematics Department. As for Arcadian professionals, they inform the students about the basics of practical activity during the last lecture and hold “field-works” in order to revise and consolidate theoretical skills. Arcadia, Inc., supplies the University with all essential software for this practice.
After finishing the course these testers-to-be will have an opportunity to be enrolled for internship in the company's premises and implement obtained knowledge in the real work-process. It will let the future specialists enhance their knowledge base and promise a prospective well-paid job. Those probationers who do well during the process will have a chance to get involved in long-term cooperation models.
It has become common knowledge that, due to the spectacular growth of modern offshore software market, the problem of experienced HR-lacking emerges. In their turn, foreign customers set high requirements for the quality of software, therefore the attitude to testers' profession has considerably transformed to recognized topicality and prestige.
Software developing companies cooperate with universities of St. Petersburg achieving the goal of tailored training and selection of the most skilled and motivated young specialists. Besides, this collaboration helps improve the programs of IT education in its various currents according to the modern market demand.