Local government increasingly relies on digital skills. Teams need to analyse data to make informed decisions, automate routine processes, develop online services, communicate with residents, and protect their digital infrastructure. This requires people who can do more than understand new technologies – they need to know how to put them to practical use in their day-to-day work.

This was the focus of the Digital Skills for Community Development programme, jointly implemented by Hillel IT School and the Regional Development Agency of Odesa Region. Representatives of local communities and regional institutions learned to work with data and artificial intelligence, improve digital communications, strengthen cybersecurity, manage IT processes, and develop web products.

The programme brought together deputy mayors, local government employees, and representatives of regional institutions. Thirty participants completed the training, each choosing one of six learning tracks based on their professional responsibilities. Participation was completely free of charge, with Hillel IT School investing approximately UAH 600,000 in the programme.

Bringing Technology into the Day-to-Day Work of Local Government

Digital transformation in local government goes far beyond websites, online services, and social media. The effective use of data can improve decision-making, digital communications can strengthen engagement with residents, and cybersecurity is essential to the resilience of information systems.

But new tools only create value when people know how to use them effectively. This principle shaped the programme for participants from Odesa region: rather than simply learning about digital technologies, they developed skills they could apply directly in their existing roles and workflows.

“Technology alone does not transform communities. Change is driven by people who know how to apply it in their day-to-day work. Those are exactly the skills we chose to invest in,” said Vadym Drumov, CEO and co-founder of Hillel IT School.

From Data Analytics to Digital Products

Instead of offering a single curriculum to everyone, the programme provided six learning tracks, allowing participants to choose the area most relevant to their professional responsibilities.

The Data Analytics track focused on working with information and using data to support decision-making. The Artificial Intelligence track explored ways to automate repetitive tasks. SMM focused on digital communications and strengthening communities’ online presence, while Cybersecurity covered the protection of information systems.

The remaining two tracks focused on digital infrastructure and products. DevOps covered the organisation and maintenance of IT processes, while Web Design Basics focused on creating clear, user-friendly websites and landing pages for local projects, events, and initiatives.

How Participants Plan to Put Their New Skills into Practice

For Yuliia Marinova, First Deputy Mayor of the Vylkove community, digital communications offered one of the most practical areas for development. She chose SMM as a way to take a more systematic approach to promoting Vylkove’s tourism potential and improving the community’s digital services.

“We don’t just want to keep things running – we want to develop systematically and professionally. I enrolled in the course to understand how to make online services more user-friendly, improve our website, work with analytics, and promote tourism,” said Yuliia Marinova.

Web design offers another example of how the newly acquired skills can be applied to regional projects. Alina Samusieva chose this track to learn how to create digital pages for the Agency’s projects, events, and initiatives.

“The Web Design Basics course helped me understand how visual design and structure can bring ideas to life. In the Agency’s work, these skills will help us create modern landing pages for projects, events, and initiatives that do more than simply provide information – they can engage people and partners,” said Alina Samusieva, a programme participant.

She said the course also changed the way she thinks about the role of design in communication.

“The biggest change was in how I see digital tools. I realised that design today is not just about aesthetics – it is about communication, trust, and user experience. Even a simple website can become a gateway to much bigger changes.”

“To anyone who is unsure whether to take a course like this, I would say that sometimes a single course can open up an entirely new way of thinking. This training was not just about web design. It was about learning how to present ideas in a modern way, work more efficiently, and create solutions that genuinely work,” she added.

Digital Skills Beyond the IT Sector

One of the programme’s defining features was that it was designed not for technology professionals, but for people working in local government and regional institutions. Digital skills were therefore treated not as a separate IT function, but as tools for solving practical management and operational challenges.

Data analytics can support planning and evidence-based decision-making; AI can automate routine processes; SMM and web design can help communities communicate with residents and present local initiatives; while cybersecurity and DevOps skills can support more resilient digital infrastructure.

With the training complete, the real measure of the programme’s impact will be how participants apply their new skills within their communities and institutions – from everyday workflows and communications to data-driven decision-making and the development of new digital solutions.