In the words of Violeta Cozonac: ”IT represents multiple benefits for women as it ensures a flexible schedule, decent wages and huge growth opportunities.”

Can a woman succeed in IT? Yes, she can if she dreams about that, at the same time being helped by professionals. This opinion is shared by Violeta Cozonac from Rezina district, Republic of Moldova. A year ago, she applied for the Women in Online Work (WOW) project. Today, Violeta is a team leader in a large American IT startup, and it seems like she is not going to stop here. 

”As a child, I dreamed of becoming a teacher. I used to arrange toys in a row, teaching them lessons.  

After having graduated from university, I started working as an English teacher in a rural school in Rezina district. My husband was assigned as a priest to that village. Many people were wondering why did I choose to work and live in a village. But children need good teachers, no matter where they live. This is my answer. 

A year ago, I saw on social media an announcement stating that enrolment for the Women in Online Work (WOW) program had started. I decided to send my CV. Finally, I was chosen as one of the participants. 

For more than half a year, great IT-specialists were teaching online courses to us, I chose the field of software testing. As I am a teacher, my job is to find and correct mistakes. So this is where all the stars aligned. 

How did I find my first job in IT? One of the tasks during our courses was to write a personal CV that would attract an employer as much as possible. We also had to send our CV to a large number of companies. I received a job offer from one of those companies. I have been working for that company for a year. Its headquarters is in the Silicon Valley. Its aim is to help students get into universities using artificial intelligence. I started my career from the lowest position, as a junior tester. Today, I am a team leader. We are an international company with employees from all over the world. I am the only one from Moldova. 

I combine a career in IT and teaching in school. The flexible schedule allows me to combine two positions. It also allows me to be a mother. I have three children, and it is important for me to be with them when they need me. My job gives me great satisfaction. 

Women and girls from Moldova should know that they have huge chances to succeed in IT. All you need is a desire and a competent mentor who would share knowledge and experience. This field represents multiple benefits for any woman as it ensures a flexible schedule, decent wages and huge growth opportunities.” 

The “Women in Online Work (WOW)” programme has been launched in autumn 2020, with support from Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova within the “Optim – Opportunities through technologies and innovation in Moldova” project. This year, the sixth edition of the programme started, being implemented by SEED FORUM MOLDOVA/IHUB, in collaboration with UN Women, with financial support from Sweden, in partnership with the Tekwill project, with support from USAID. In order to start a career in IT, the participants will be able to study 3 technical areas: Software Testing, Social Media Management and Web Design, subsequently participating in a mentorship programme.