Former ICK’s Scholar starts working for Microsoft, and we want to celebrate this!

Prishtina, May 2023 –  When Tringa Krasniqi applied for a Scholarship at the Coding Dojo program through the Innovation Center of Kosovo, she started with a high ambition, that one day, to be working for one of the leading Tech Companies. And today, she speaks with us through her office at one of the largest and most successful Tech Companies worldwide - Microsoft.

Tringa, 26 years old from Prishtina, is in the very first steps of her journey to be a an expert of her favorite field, Technology. Coming from such a young country as Kosovo, has been, for her, both an incentive to work hard, and put extra effort to achieve more but, overcome obstacles too such as the inability of travel and work anywhere easily. Tringa confirms that these obstacles can be both demotivational and discourage youngsters, in Kosovo, to aim high and achieve their dreams.“I had that opinion once that I might not even be taken in consideration…”, Tringa starts explaining while telling us what made her change her mind. “Although, this changed quicky after I meet many people of different backgrounds, and I was lucky to have very supportive supervisor and professors. Throughout my studies I realized that not everything works out as is planned but trying to get there is always worth it. And, I learned that if you think it is possible, and you have the will to work in that direction, you will actually succeed”, Tringa enthusiastically responses.

Tringa started her studies in Computer Science in 2013, at The University of Sheffield in Greece where she finished her bachelors degree and pursued her master’s studies in Software Engineering. Her very first internship and first job as a front-end developer was at a German based company. After finishing her studies, she relocated to her hometown while working remotely (even before it was cool) and she started her own small virtual community in the Instagram social network (@tringacodes). While in Prishtina, she followed with interest tech related events and activities organized by Innovation Center in Kosovo. This also let to her being part of the Coding Dojo Program back in the early months of the pandemic in 2020.“I had many friends who were following similar studies as mine, software engineering at the University of Pristina, and they had been involved in various extensive trainings at ICK. So, I was interested and followed ICK’s social media to learn more about opportunities, that is where I saw a Facebook post that ICK was offering Scholarships for girls in ICT, specifically for the Coding Dojo Program. I applied immediately!”, she tells us.

“I always try to learn new things outside work, but when you have a full-time job it is very difficult to learn other things outside of your daily working routine because all your energy is focused on your work. I had started to research about Python and its applications in various tech areas, one of them being my domain, web development. It seemed something interesting to learn and well, having a structured program is definitely the best way to learn”, says Tringa. She also expressed that, through the Coding Dojo program, she had also an opportunity to network and meet other amazing fellow women engineers; as unfortunately only approximately 15% of software engineers are women.“Thankfully, this mindset has recently begun to change”, she states, by sharing how she started her journey in Computer Science back as a high school student. “I am entirely thankful to my high school Informatics teacher, she was the one who gave me a push by making her lectures so attractive. I was so drawn to algorithms and the few hours of simple programming made a real difference for me. I am grateful that I have had so many great experiences and inspiring people around me, it has defined my career decisions”, Tringa gratefully shares her memories.

Tringa is now part of Microsoft in the Czech Republic, and is working as a Software Engineer for Microsoft Teams product, the latest application that was created during an internal hackathon at the Microsoft headquarters. Microsoft Teams is a web-based desktop app, that supports communication for organizations and aims to make connection, communication, working or learning easier.

“I got my dream role but I have a long way to go”, Tringa says and encourages all youngsters from Kosovo to not hesitate on pursuing for their dream jobs and career, no matter how far it might seem for them. 

By: Leonora Aliu (ICK Contractor)