At Ilia State University, the EU-funded project Youth Tech Clubs Network was implemented.
The project was carried out through the cooperation of Ilia State University Agency for Innovation and Technology (GITA), the Georgian ICT Cluster and the Innovative Education Foundation (IEF). The project was managed by the Delegation of the European Union to Georgia. Its main objective was to develop knowledge and skills aligned with labor market needs and employment opportunities.
Over four years, coding and technology entrepreneurship clubs were established in 8 regions of Georgia, across a total of 100 schools and vocational education institutions. Selected beneficiaries were able to study their chosen fields completely free of charge.
Within the framework of the Youth Tech Clubs Network, 10 training courses were developed along with relevant learning materials, and trainers were retrained across the entire country. The courses developed and implemented under the project include:
- Python Programming
- Computer Graphics
- Web Development based on WordPress
- UX/UI Design
- 3D Modeling
- Technology Entrepreneurship
- Data Visualization
- Data Analysis
- Application Development
- Front-End Programming
Between 2021 and 2024, a total of 193 courses were fully delivered, with 2,610 graduates completing the programs. Alongside the training courses, a wide range of educational activities were actively implemented over the four-year period, including:
- 80+ regional events: hackathons, trainings, meetings, and competitions
- 30+ career development meetings
- 15 regional employment forums and youth weeks
- Annual trainers’ conferences and Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions
The training courses, learning materials, and the educational platform developed within the project framework will remain accessible to other interested parties. Educational events integrating the above-mentioned fields will also continue to be implemented in the future