IT has every chance to save the Republic of Moldova
The epidemiological crisis, which began in the spring of 2020, has taught all of us many lessons and demonstrated how important it is for us, as a society, for the business environment, and for the state as a whole to learn how to live in new conditions, be flexible and invent something new, when necessary. Many companies have migrated to the 'online', trying to get the most out of Internet networks' vast audience. Government agencies, education institutions have also tried to adapt their professional activities based on the crisis and have replaced physical presence with online meetings/lessons. Today, after six months of the pandemic, we can draw certain conclusions about the potential and opportunities that the online sector offers us in the Republic of Moldova. Let us analyze this area with Mr. Vladimir Russu - the founder of one of the first companies specialized in the supply of equipment and IT services in Moldova - Accent Electronic.
The activity of Accent Electronic in this field dates back to August 1991. Since then, Accent has been the official representative in the Republic of Moldova of many well-known manufacturers of equipment and providers of system solutions, including two leaders of the world market of electronic devices: HP (since 1996) and IBM (since 1997). Following his foreign partners' trend and their regional market forecasts, Vladimir Russu says that the IT field has every chance of surpassing the agricultural sector as the basic one in the Republic of Moldova.
"It is no longer a secret that Moldova has become an IT hub, only that this field's potential is far from fully exploited. In 1998, HP implemented the first school computerization project in Eastern Europe. Those computers - Intel Pentium 1 - that had appeared in all schools in the Republic of Moldova laid the first foundations of today's hub, and the medium-term forecasts are even more optimistic" says Vladimir Russu.
Mr. Russu emphasizes that the essential resource lies precisely in the richest genetic and intellectual potential of the Republic of Moldova population.
“We, as people, are not only hospitable and welcoming; we are also gifted with enormous intellectual potential. Our roots go back to one of the most ancient civilizations of antiquity - Cucuteni–Trypillia[1]. The qualities and abilities passed down from generation to generation clearly indicate that we have a significant human capital. It must be developed and used by all means” Mr. Russu explains.
Vladimir Russu, the man who generated and implemented many successful projects in the Republic of Moldova, believes that our country can create a solid foundation, which, in turn, will ensure our worldwide recognition and prosperity. This would directly contribute to the country's economic stability and ensure a higher standard of living. Here is his solution:
"Teachers should undergo an intensive training course in e-learning within programs such as Tekwill[2] or in collaboration with students at the Technical University of Moldova. The second stage would involve purchasing about 350 thousand computers and distributing them to each family with children. Step 3 would be to introduce IT courses in the foundational curriculum of grades IX-XII. When I say foundational course, I mean with the same intensity as "Romanian Language" and "Mathematics" is taught. Staying in Moldova and being trained for several years in the IT field, young people will find a better-paid job than salaries for unskilled work in Europe. And I'm not exaggerating! An IT specialist with 3-6 months of training can have a salary of about 700 euros, one with one year of training - between 800-1200 euros, and one with 3-4 years of study can get a wage from 2500-4000 euros. These are real salaries that many young people in Moldova already receive" explains the founder of Accent Electronic.
We were very surprised to hear these forecasts and asked: will there be enough jobs for so many IT professionals?
"Surely! Humanity is moving into a new era. The one in which many services will be automated/digitized, and all this requires an enormous IT infrastructure. Today, there are several thousand types of IT professions: from children who test video games all day and receive thousands of euros for it, to graphic specialists, designers, editors, program operators, project managers and many others who emerge year after year” explains Vladimir Russu.
Mr. Vladimir Russu proves the faith in his work through personal example. His eldest son is a sophomore at the Technical University of Moldova this year. Many business projects of Accent Group involve a great team young people, carefully selected from their university days, well trained and with a progressive, innovative method of work; they are ready for new implementations, out-of-the-box solutions, and flexible approaches for the business and social environment.
At the end of 2019, all local IT companies' forecasted income reached 2.9 billion Moldovan Lei, which is 30% higher than the real income registered in 2018.
