IT Industry In Ukraine: What Brings Youth To Become Developers?

Technology keeps growing its presence in our lives. Since Covid-19 emerged, our screen time has seen a staggering growth — we now spend 13+ hours on screens per day on average. We use our phones and laptops for work or studies, we chat with our friends, read books and articles, discover new things — so much of our attention and time are given to digital. It’s no wonder then that the Information Technology (IT) industry has grown to reach a tremendous value of about 5 trillion dollars globally.

IT industry in Ukraine

The Ukrainian IT industry has seen a spectacular growth rate of about 26% year-on-year and has already become one of the main sectors to contribute to the country’s economy. Since the software development industry is one of the most prosperous and go-to ones, a vast number of both young and adult people are already working with IT or think of doing so. In fact, there were over 200,000 Ukrainians employed in the IT industry in 2020, and the number keeps growing fast.

Top-50 IT companies in Ukraine account for more than 76 thousand web and mobile developers — almost 40% of all the Ukrainian software developers. However, despite the fact that incumbents have quite a strong presence in the industry, new IT companies are mushrooming to meet the growing demand for software development both from domestic companies and from abroad. Ukrainian IT outsourcing deserves special attention (our country is believed to be one of the top destinations for software outsourcing), and we recently wrote an article on IT outsourcing in Ukraine and made some predictions for the industry for the year 2021.

Being a software developer is the new black

In Ukraine, being a software developer is cool and those who have excelled in the field are being looked up to. Many small boys and girls, instead of thinking of a career in cinematography or space exploration, now dream of becoming IT specialists. Those children look at successful adults and want to be just like them, so they try their best to dive into the IT industry as early as possible. Luckily, there is a vast majority of educational resources from explainer videos to insightful articles and deep-dive courses. Moreover, a lot can be learned from their parents, siblings, and tech-savvy friends.

A similar pattern of striving for the IT industry may be observed with a lot of young people who have come to an understanding that they will need to deal with IT by some means or other. Either as their main profession or as a prospective addition to their existing expertise, IT will surely make way to their lives. A salesman in a shop can learn the basics of coding to come up with a simple yet useful way of making the operations smoother. An accountant can facilitate her work by learning how to automate repetitive activities. IT has so much to offer to everyone! And that’s why today there are so many aspiring junior software developers.

Why do people want to become software developers?

1. High rate of pay

IT specialists get very good salaries — that’s a fact. Software development requires professionalism and expertise, and the remuneration is corresponding. In Ukraine, for instance, while an average salary is less than $500 a month, mobile and web developers can earn as much as $2.5 to $4 thousand monthly, depending on their level. Well, we are sure you won’t argue that 8x is a great multiple! ?

Here is a quick take on how much software developers earn around the world (annually). But don’t be hooked by large numbers — don’t forget to account for the tax rates.
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The average software developer salary, 2021

2. Want to work remotely? No problem!

Mobile and web developers started working from home before it became mainstream. Sure, many in-house IT specialists work from the office as it’s easier to ensure smoother communication and better quality of work, but a vast majority of freelance software developers can work from just anywhere — be it a cozy apartment in a Ukrainian town or some sunny sea or ocean beach.

3. Lifelong learning

One of the cool things about software development is that the industry is changing and growing really fast, so there is always something to learn and master. Those striving to always add to their knowledge base and excel in their field will enjoy the IT industry for sure. Indeed, to get the gist of software development, you need to break a sweat but that’s definitely worth it.

4. Programming is a universal language

The digital era has presented us with a universal language of programming — ones and zeros don’t need any translation. Web and mobile developers in Ukraine can understand the code written by a Bangladeshi or American without any trouble. It means, among others, that whenever needed and desirable, an IT specialist can quite easily move to another company or location — which usually entails salary raise.

5. Comfortable working conditions

Apart from the possibility to work from just anywhere, being a web or mobile developer usually means that you’ll enjoy an extremely comfortable working environment and conditions. Moreover, as IT companies are usually quite advanced and keep up with the times, software developers working there usually enjoy additional social guarantees and cool perks.

Summary

The IT industry has been consistently ramping up over the last decade, and there are no signs of it slowing down in the recent future. Both young and mature, people keep flocking to the field as it’s undeniably trendy and prospective. Being a software developer has indeed become the new black as it entails a lot of advantages — such as comfortable and flexible working conditions, a high salary, and an opportunity to enjoy continuing education and excellence in the field.

There is a lot of demand for software development in the domestic Ukrainian market but outsourcing (especially, nearshoring) has been particularly popular in European countries and the US. And, as it is said, where there is demand, there will always be supply.

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