How to turn theoretical knowledge into practical skills, develop your own project from idea to prototype, and gain invaluable experience for your future career in just five days? The answer to this question was found by Viktoriia Boiko, a student of group 401-FF, specialty 035 “Philology” at the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”. She completed a 5-day Erasmus+ training program – the “Hack Your Future” traineeship, which took place from July 14 to 18, 2025, in Bratislava, Slovakia. The program combined intensive teamwork, creative challenges, and valuable practical experience in the field of international traineeships and career development.
This unique event was organised and implemented within the Placement Slovakia program, founded by the WorkSpace Europe organisation – one of the leaders in the field of international student traineeships under the Erasmus+ program. WorkSpace Europe collaborates closely with universities and employers across Europe, helping students combine academic knowledge with practical experience and enhance their competitiveness in the job market.
The “Hack Your Future” traineeship was designed in a hackathon format, where Ukrainian students had the opportunity to work in teams on real-world challenges in the field of international traineeships. Over five days, Viktoriia, along with other participants, went through all the stages of project creation: from brainstorming and design thinking to developing a prototype and giving a final pitch to representatives of real companies and industry experts.
The central theme for all teams was the critical task – “How to attract students to traineeships?”. The participants were divided into four teams, each collaborating with a real Slovak company and having a unique task within this general challenge. They developed ideas on how to present information about traineeships in a way that makes it not only understandable but also enjoyable for young people.
“We were both trainees and developers of our own projects. This approach allowed us to not only apply our knowledge in practice but also to feel how a team works in real conditions of solving professional tasks”, – says Viktoriia.
As a result, each project was not just a concept, but a realised prototype. The teams developed a range of initiatives, including advertising campaigns, podcasts, interactive platforms, an artificial assistant for a website, and an updated look for social media pages, all designed to help students navigate the world of international opportunities more easily.
For Viktoriia, who already has considerable experience in Erasmus+ programs, this traineeship became a special stage of professional growth: «I have significant experience in Erasmus+, but this was my first traineeship. It is incredibly valuable because it made me realise that all my previous projects and my university studies were not in vain. By combining experience with a sincere desire to change our future and reach the highest peaks, we form our personality – and it is these components that the Erasmus+ program helps to develop. Teamwork, the opportunity to talk with employers, and the experience of creating a real project from start to presentation – this is priceless», – the student shares her impressions.
Viktoriia Boiko's experience clearly demonstrates how even short-term mobility programs can be a powerful catalyst for career growth, the development of soft skills, and the expansion of professional horizons. Poltava Polytechnic is proud of its students' achievements and continues to create conditions for their successful integration into the European educational and professional space.
“I express my gratitude to the organisers and my university for the opportunity to broaden my horizons and gain new experience in a European environment. Better and more to come!” – concludes Viktoriia Boiko.
Viktoriia Boiko has repeatedly participated in Erasmus+ youth exchanges and training courses, including “Unfolding Complexity. Foundations of Conflict Transformation”, “Interexchange Academy – A Co-Creative Academy of Peacebuilding, Societal Inclusion and Greener Future”, “Promoting peace awareness among youth”, and “Cyber Heroes”.
As a reminder, faculty members of Poltava Polytechnic are eligible to participate in academic mobility and internship programs. Students can study abroad through Erasmus+ credit academic mobility grant programs for a semester or a full academic year at leading universities in Austria, Greenland, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.
For more detailed information on current internship, teaching, and academic mobility programs abroad, please get in touch with the International Relations Office (office 213-C, interoffice@nupp.edu.ua) or the coordinator of international activities at the National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic” – Anna Pavelieva, Ph.D. in Philology, Associate Professor of the Department of Germanic Philology and Translation (email: kunsite.zi@gmail.com, phone: +38-(095)-91-08-192).
Media Centre of
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”
