Sometimes, a simple connection can grow into an opportunity no one could have predicted at the time.
That’s the story behind the relationship between Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), Ideal Team Group (ITG), and Tarja Paabo, a BIT Academy® graduate in Estonia who recently transitioned from an unpaid internship with ITG to paid employment.
From A Conversation to Collaboration
The relationship between BIT and ITG began when Sergei Mikhailovski, Founder & Managing Director of ITG, connected with former BIT Salesforce Project Lead Mark through Facebook.
ITG was exploring a potential project in Denver and reached out to BIT for support. While the project ultimately presented logistical challenges due to ITG’s location and the time difference, the initial connection opened the door to continued conversations between the two organizations.
As ITG learned more about BIT and the BIT Academy, Sergei became interested in the possibility of bringing similar Salesforce training opportunities to individuals in Lithuania and the surrounding region. He also began to see the broader potential of individuals with disabilities in the region as skilled professionals who could bring valuable perspectives, technical skills, and problem-solving abilities to ITG and the clients it serves.
BIT and ITG eventually held a webinar for nonprofit leaders and others in the region to introduce them to BIT, the Academy, and the opportunities available through Salesforce training.
That growing relationship would eventually lead to Tarja.
Turning Training into Opportunity
Tarja, who is blind and lives in Estonia, completed Salesforce Administrator training through the BIT Academy and earned her Salesforce Administrator certification.
Following her training, she joined ITG as an unpaid intern, giving her an opportunity to begin applying her Salesforce knowledge in a professional environment.
Today, that internship has turned into something even more significant: Tarja is now a paid ITG employee.
Her progression from Academy student to Salesforce-certified professional, intern, and now employee represents exactly what can happen when training is connected with organizations willing to recognize and invest in talent.
The Power of Relationships
Tarja’s story didn’t begin with a traditional recruiting process or a single employment initiative. It grew out of conversations, relationships, and a willingness between organizations to explore what they could accomplish together.
What started with a Facebook connection between ITG and a BIT employee ultimately developed into an ongoing relationship that helped connect a BIT Academy graduate with professional experience and, eventually, paid employment.
For BIT, that’s what makes this story so meaningful.
Training and certifications are important milestones, but the larger goal is helping individuals with disabilities put those skills to work and build meaningful careers.
Tarja earned her Salesforce certification. She gained professional experience through her internship. And now, she is paid for the skills and knowledge she brings to ITG.
It’s also another example of how the BIT Academy’s reach continues to extend beyond the United States, connecting individuals with disabilities around the world with technology training and opportunities to demonstrate what they can do.
Sometimes impact starts with something as simple as a conversation. In this case, one conversation eventually helped create a pathway from training to certification, from internship to employment, and from opportunity to a career.