Impact the Future: Space for Ideas with Google Developer Group Sofia

Building a culture of support and understanding among employees is critical to making everyone feel like they belong, so they can do their best work. 

At EPAM, we want all our colleagues to feel accepted and connected to their teams and clients. We provide equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation or beliefs, because we know that our unique perspectives make us better as an organization. Our people, with their diverse backgrounds and experiences, have the power to change the world for the better.  

That's why we organized an event dedicated to the future and the women who create it. 

We partnered with Google Developer Group Sofia, Women Techmakers, Women Who Code and hOUR Therapy to bring together some of the most inspiring women in our company and the IT world. 

The event was filled with inspiring stories as several female leaders shared their personal and professional experiences. They highlighted their impressive career trajectories, shared tips on achieving work-life balance, and discussed the unique challenges that women face in the workplace and in society.

Featured panelists

Female leaders from EPAM and the partner organizations came together for a panel discussion. They talked about technologies, their personal successes, the challenges they had to go through and how they got into their field of work. Panelists include: 

• Magdalena Stefanova, Product Manager at EPAM Bulgaria
• Rayna Stankova, Software Engineer and Director of Women Who Code – Sofia
• Ralitsa Peeva, Therapist at hOUR Therapy 
• Desislava Dimitrova, Quality Engineering Lead at Mentormate 

The rise of AI

The hottest topic of the session: AI. We all know that artificial intelligence is shaping our world and society. Discussion ranged from what lies ahead for us and how to be more responsible in using these technologies to what regulations need to be introduced, and how we can use innovation to grow and evolve. Our team discussed what challenges and opportunities face modern technologies and how we can use them to our advantage in the future.

Coping with stress

Innovations in IT can support psychology methods, according to Ralitsa Peeva, a therapist at hOUR Therapy. She discussed how and what techniques we can all use to cope with stress and tension in everyday life. Ralitsa shared her experiences with impostor syndrome and how to fight it to enjoy personal and professional successes without unnecessary doubts.  

“In the modern workplace, imposter syndrome has become one of the greater dangers for female employees and their self-esteem as professionals,” shares Ralitsa. “It has become a common problem that many leaders experience. Fortunately, seeking professional psychological help could be quite helpful in reaching personal development.” 

Leading businesses in the digital age

Victoria Buzdreva, Senior Product Owner at EPAM Bulgaria, revealed critical aspects of leading businesses in the digital age. “Professionals of the future will continue to acquire a variety of skills and capabilities,” shared Victoria. “That is why continuing education, certifications and skills development steps are crucial for career growth to all business leaders.”

She shared her professional experience, discussed the tasks in the certification process, and showed participants a step-by-step guide on how to graduate from the Google Certification Course without any problems. She presented the necessary skills one should acquire to finish the course and provided more details about the program, its impact, why it is so important and the benefits it offers.

Her presentation provoked interest and active participation from the audience, and she discussed the opportunities and challenges facing Google Cloud. Participants received valuable guidance on using the platform to achieve their goals related to business transformation, using Google’s core infrastructure, data analytics and machine learning to optimize operations. The certificate provides students with a wide range of technical skills and a solid understanding of cloud architecture.

Building community for the future of tech

Developing our communities and promoting innovation among women across all tech fields is essential to the future of technology. 

Impact the Future connects female professionals in different IT areas, united by the idea of innovation and career development. Here, we create space for the exchange of ideas, networking and connection. 

Participants get to meet with specialists who bring varying years of experience, and collectively the group works on sharing ideas that will help women advance both their careers and the tech field. 

The Google Developer Group Sofia helped make this event possible. We want to thank them for their cooperation and for supporting EPAM in creating this enriching environment for exchanging knowledge and experience. 

Together, we can celebrate the commitment and passion of women in tech who make stimulating discussion possible and pave the way for the future. 

With insightful perspectives shared and barriers discussed, the Impact the Future event marked another step forward in fostering inclusivity and diversity within the tech industry. 

We hope you will be able to join us for a future event! Stay tuned for more networking opportunities and follow our channels to learn more. 

Learn more about EPAM’s diversity and inclusion topics here: https://epa.ms/1bKtL6.