Stories

Building innovative dreams during Microsoft visit

First of all, we would like to express our gratitude by saying that our Junior Achievement (JA) experience was extremely useful and truly life-changing. We participated in both innovative and entrepreneurial projects, as well as STEM-focused competitions, and the knowledge and skills we’ve gained are vital for any person looking to pursue a future in this area. Thanks to JA we are better prepared for our next education and career prospects.

Secondly, we were impressed by tremendous number of cutting-edge technologies and projects that were presented to us by Microsoft employees during our visit at Microsoft HQ.  We could see that personal development and inspiration are essential parts of the working process at Microsoft and every single employee has a wide range of professional opportunities and benefits. We shared our impressions with our schoolmates, and now all of us have a new and much broader understanding of the role and advantages available through IT-related education and career.  

Thirdly, we have learned about the tremendous demand for entrepreneurs and innovative start-ups that exist in the IT market, a market which develops dynamically and creates opportunities and conditions for people who could think out of box – using their inspiration and stamina to make dreams true. This is indeed good news for those who consider STEM-related careers and want to be successful and productive in this area. 

In conclusion we would like to give some advice for new generations of JA students: 

Dear Future JA Students, 

We have so much to share with you regarding our JA experience, but we think the best way is to learn by doing. We therefore invite you to live your own JA path, and learn for yourself the values and merits that suit each of you best. Never-the-less, we’d like to emphasize some crucial points. Participation in JA is essential, as it is the best way to obtain experience in teamwork, cooperation, competition, time-management, decision making and overwhelming feeling of recognized accomplishment and success. JA also helps you better understand your interests and strengths, as well as your further education and career preferences.  

Thank you, JA! And good luck! 

Sincerely,

JA Russia Students of “Kurchatov School”, Moscow