It’s a Match! Taking the Initiative Pays Off

There is a quote by American actress Cicely Tyson that says, “Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They’re what make the instrument stretch- what make you go beyond the norm.”

In life, one doesn’t usually look for challenges, yet somehow, one or many still manage to find them. These challenges can be life-altering and force the individual to decide whether to move forward. 

Marina Zhukovska began the final year of her Software Engineering degree at her university in Ukraine when the war broke out. This turn of events forced her to relocate and change her plans. She found herself in Denmark, a place that was outside of what she had planned for herself. 

Denmark was new and unknown. She didn’t know anyone but was eager to find a job and a community of people to connect with. 

One day, while on FaceBook, she came across a ReDI School advertisement and decided to try it. She saw it was a tech and digital literacy school. Although she was already familiar with the “coding language” from previous education, she felt it would be a great place to meet people and connect with others in the field. 

“I wanted to widen my circle and have a company of people who may be in the same position as I am, who are also seeking to develop themselves, and who are interested in the same things I am.”

ReDI School offers a dynamic and engaging learning environment where hands-on experiences are the norm. The students are pushed to learn, grow, and do their best. Marina felt they were constantly being challenged and pushed from all sides. They taught the importance of taking the initiative.

These challenges from the school became helpful and prepared them for when a big problem arose during the final group project of the semester. 

For their final project, the students were put into groups of 4-5 people with varying levels and abilities in tech and required to work together to contact a company and do a project for them. They were to find a company, reach out to it through a spokesperson, and form an agreement.

The project was going well until, unexpectedly, near the very end, the group spokesperson who had been in contact with the company decided to quit at the last minute. This sudden change left the team scrambling and trying to make up for the loss. They had to quickly reassign roles, catch up on the communication with the company, and ensure the project was completed on time.

In that time of desperation, Marina saw an opportunity and jumped in to help lead the team. 

“It’s where I took some initiative because I already had some experience, and I saw some girls who were really lost at some point.” 

Though initially daunting, this experience became a turning point in Marina's personal journey. It propelled her to step into a leadership role, guiding and supporting those who needed it. Despite the unexpected setback of a team member quitting, they emerged successful, a testament to Marina's growth and resilience. 

During this time, Marina’s friend, a recent ReDI School graduate who recently got a job, was watching and saw Marina step up and take the lead when needed. She knew her company was actively hiring, so she recommended Marina. With the help of mentors, she landed an interview and eventually got a job at that same company a few months after graduating from ReDI School.

She gained many valuable lessons and experiences. She learned to work well in a team, communicate clearly with people from different backgrounds, and help those who need it. While learning more about taking initiative, she learned not to be afraid and grew more confident in herself. 

“It kind of also gives you a third point of view from yourself and see that you can actually do this. For a lot of girls it boosts their confidence that they can actually do something and gives them direction of where to go.”

It has now been two years since Marina came to Denmark and began anew. Her circumstances have stretched and pushed her to go beyond her comfort zone, but the dreams she had when she arrived have become a reality. 

She has found a job and is currently a Frontend Developer at NetCare International ApS. She has also found a community of friends and volunteers as a Web Development Teacher for ReDI School of Digital Integration Aarhus.