IBM Bulgaria's Academic Program has been successfully operating in the country for the past 6 consecutive years. Our academic ambassadors, who are IBM experts and leaders, are dedicated to developing and providing programs related to the development of students, offering them insights into the latest technologies, and helping them build critical technical and soft skills for a successful career. We believe that our completely free academies, online platforms, and courses, led by our IBM experts and mentors, contribute to enhancing the qualifications of young talents in the country. Our primary goal is to build an ecosystem where students can improve their skills and acquire new ones, gaining practical experience, and providing options for their career development.

Our target includes students, we collaborate with universities in the country. We have been successfully engaged with students from the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies (UNIBIT), Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," University of National and World Economy, American University, Technical University of Sofia, TUES, Soft Uni Svetlina. We also collaborate with the American Chamber of Commerce, AZTUES, EduTechFlag, Sofia Tech Park, and the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria.

Over the past 6 years, IBM Bulgaria has been developing its academic program. We have 2 technical academies, mentoring program, internships, and two laboratories (at TU-Sofia and UNIBIT) where we conduct several courses and exercises. Additionally, we deliver numerous guest lectures at various universities. Close to 1000 students annually participate in our initiatives. The program aligns with the company's global strategy to build essential skills to around 30 million people by 2030.

Hundreds of students were part of the program! Here is the data for 2023, where we've had ~1000 students engaged: Approximately 400 students participate in disciplines led by IBM at UNIBIT and the LAB we established at the university. 27 students from universities in the country and abroad are part of our Mentorship program.In our 6-monthс paid internship program, we have 55 students. 12 students from TUES and SoftUni Svetlina participated in our summer internship. About 100 talents completed free technical academies such as "Systems Academy" and "Networking Academy," where IBM experts teach students who want to develop their technical expertise and succeed in the IT sector. We participated in numerous hackathons, including TUES Hack, TUES Fest, EduTechFlag, NASA Space App Challenge, Sci-High Fest, AI at Sports, and organized events for students in collaboration with Sofia Tech Park and the Atlantic Club - Hello Space 3.0. We delivered numerous guest lectures on topics like CV, job interview, leadership skills..etc. at key universities in the country. We have also built a new LAB at TU-Sofia, which is set to be inaugurated soon. These initiatives cover nearly 400 students.

We have hundreds engaged via the IBM LAB at UNIBIT and disciplines led by IBM experts. We often meet colleagues who were once our students and are now working at IBM or in other companies. Students in our Mentorship program have monthly meetings with IBM mentors, including the GM of IBM Bulgaria, Georgi Ganev. This provides us with direct contact with them, helping them to develop. We welcome many students to our LABs in the office, allowing them to gain a real-world perspective on technologies. We actively promote "girls in tech" initiatives, inspiring more women to pursue careers in the sector. The program will expand, and we anticipate the opening of our new LAB at TU-Sofia, an idea we initiated in 2023. Please refer to the "Activities" section to check detailed data/results.