Building an online platform to support Ukraine's tech workers

Five weeks ago, four businessmen came together to create a platform to support Ukrainian tech workers.

Long-time recruitment specialist Neill Dunwoody had just helped a Ukrainian woman, who’d arrived in Ireland, to secure work through his network – a catalyst to helping thousands of Ukrainian displaced tech workers and start-ups.

Martin Carpenter, Adrian Wakefield and Shaun Taylor joined forces with Neill, and within two weeks they were up and running with Tech Link Ukraine.

Setting up Tech Link Ukraine

They have partnered with EmployUkraine.org and, so far, have had 10,000 Ukrainians access the platform.

Neill says: 

“Tech Link Ukraine is a movement. We're basically trying to help displaced Ukrainians, and companies that are operating and working within Ukraine, to find work and projects to work on.

“We built our own website and we're actually developing further stronger offerings through the help of Avanade and Microsoft, which will be a signposting site to point people in the direction of the information they're going to need.”

Users will be able to find information on things like:

• work permits

• visas

• how to apply to get a bank account

• the healthcare system of each country they go into

Neill adds: “If they find work, hopefully the employer would pay their relocation packages, pay for flights and hopefully rent and stuff for the first couple of weeks until they start earning.”

Hiring remotely

The platform offers more to employers than just a place to post current vaccines.

“It's a signposting platform. What we're offering the employers is free access to talent,” Neill explains. “They can advertise their roles for free and they interview someone through the platform. If they want to hire somebody remotely, they can legally contract and payroll them via a different country. And they can do all that for free.

“Our new website, which will have all the bells and whistles on it, will go live in the next two weeks.”

How to donate to the cause

While the site was originally set up with tech professionals and companies in mind, Neill stresses that if there are jobs out there, they are happy to have them on the platform.

As a not-for-profit, TechLink Ukraine has had many companies donate time and resources to the cause.

If you feel like you would like to support the mission or have a job vacancy to post, you can find more information about TechLink Ukraine at its website.