What does it take to prepare students for a career in IT? At NIX, we believe the answer goes beyond lectures and textbooks. The Dual Training Program by the NIX Learning & Development Center (LDC) gives final-year technical school students a chance to experience the industry from the inside.
Over the past eight months, 67 students took that journey with us.
A Year Inside the Industry
The NIX Dual Training Program is built on a simple idea: instead of talking about the IT industry, let students experience it firsthand.
For nearly an entire academic year, participants spent 4 days a week learning in a full-time format — working alongside NIX LDC technical experts and mentors. The goal was not only to teach technical skills but to help students understand what a career in IT actually looks like from the inside.
This year, students joined one of three learning tracks:
- Java
- .NET
- DevNet — a unique track that combines networking, DevOps, and software engineering, giving exposure to a wide range of technologies and engineering practices.
“The difference between the education here and high school was immediately apparent. Our teachers and coordinators treated us with utmost patience and respect — they took our abilities and need for breaks into consideration and created a genuinely comfortable environment for learning.”
More Than a Training Program
To understand the scale of the program, just look at the numbers:
- 67 graduates
- 14 partner schools
- 8 months of learning
- ~1,350 hours per student
- 3 technical tracks
- 4 days a week, full-time format
But the story behind those numbers matters even more.
Students didn’t simply attend classes. They worked in teams, used Scrum practices, explored AI-powered workflows, solved practical challenges, and developed diploma projects that reflected everything they had learned throughout the program.
For many of them, it was their first real experience inside a professional IT environment.
“I will never forget our instructor and how he guided us — even when we were tired or struggling. He was always ready to help, with clear explanations and practical tips. And the coordinators made everything run smoothly. It was easy to ask questions, manage schedules, and feel supported throughout the course.”
From Three Months to Eight: How the Program Evolved
The first iteration of the NIX Dual Training Program launched in spring 2025. It lasted three months and laid the foundation for everything that followed. You can read the full story here.
This year, the program has grown significantly. One of the biggest milestones of this cohort was the creation of a full end-to-end learning journey. Participants not only completed practical assignments and milestones — they also passed theoretical and practical examinations and defended their final projects.
To make this possible, NIX LDC technical experts and mentors, working in close collaboration with educators, took full ownership of the assessment process: designing exams, setting evaluation standards, and conducting assessments directly.
The program culminated in the development and public defense of diploma projects — real technical work presented before a formal committee consisting of external experts and university lecturers. This approach ensured that students graduated with not just practical experience, but a recognised qualification that reflects actual industry expectations.
What’s Next?
For graduates, several paths are now open. Some will continue their education at university, where participation in the NIX Dual Training Program provides additional academic benefits. Others are ready to step directly into the job market — with practical experience, completed projects, and a clear understanding of how the industry works.
“The course has given me the core foundations related to the work I do. I am going to work in the same field this summer, and I will also be attending university from September.”
Meanwhile, preparations for the next cohort are already underway. Future iterations of the program will place an even stronger focus on AI-driven learning and inclusion — ensuring that more students can gain relevant, future-ready skills and access meaningful opportunities in IT as AI-first Software engineers.
Want to be next? Talk to your school coordinator about the NIX Dual Training Program — or reach out directly at [email protected].
