HACK YOUR FUTURE 2026 |Bratislava Erasmus+ 1 week Trainee Program for Ukrainian Students

This summer, we successfully organized the second edition of the unique five-day Hack Your Future programme, once again bringing together a group of motivated students from Ukrainian universities in Bratislava. The programme was implemented as part of Erasmus+, but in an unconventional and inspiring format – a short-term internship structured as a hackathon. Naturally, the Placement Slovakia team, which is part of the Workspace Europe Network, was also involved in this exceptional initiative.

During the intensive week, 20 selected students worked under the guidance of experienced mentors in four teams on real-life, business-based challenges provided by four different organizations. Their task was to turn ideas into solutions – whether a campaign, tool or service – and take them from an initial concept all the way to an implementable project.

Alongside working on their projects, participants not only learned new skills and gained practical experience, but also explored Bratislava, built new friendships across teams and established valuable contacts for the future.

From Theory to Practice in 5 Days

The programme kicked off on Monday with introductions and team formation. The opening activities and icebreakers created a welcoming atmosphere and helped participants get to know one another. This was followed by intensive project work – students familiarized themselves with the challenges, discussed their ideas with mentors and took part in mini-workshops covering topics such as teamwork and design thinking. This gave them the tools and confidence to develop their ideas into feasible projects.

A special workshop on topic “How to Present” prepared them for the final pitch. All workshops throughout the week were expertly and inspiringly led by our guest - expert, Petra Tomková – HR Leader, Coach & Mentor and Career Advisor. Petra was involved throughout the entire event, monitored the teams’ progress and provided them with valuable feedback.

By Thursday, the teams were fine-tuning the final details and preparing their presentations. Participants also had time to enjoy a short trip around Bratislava, giving them an opportunity to experience Slovakia from a cultural perspective as well.

The Grand Finale

The highlight of the entire week was Friday, when each team presented its project, followed by the final evaluation and certificate ceremony. The event featured innovative ideas, polished presentations and, above all, the enthusiasm of young people.

Throughout the programme, students gained practical skills and experience in teamwork, learned how to present their ideas effectively and worked together to solve real-world challenges.

The Hack Your Future programme once again demonstrated what a modern internship programme for young people can look like – practical, intensive and meaningful. The week was filled with a great atmosphere, laughter and plenty of fun moments that contributed to a relaxed and friendly environment throughout the entire programme.

And how did the participants themselves rate the hackathon?

Students

“It is a completely different experience from regular university studies. Instead of learning theory, you work on real problems and see how your ideas turn into concrete solutions. Collaborating with students from different fields of study also teaches you how to communicate effectively and quickly find solutions as a team. It is a very practical way to test your knowledge in real-life situations.”

“The Hack Your Future programme shows you that work can be both fun and extremely productive.”

“The programme was well organized, engaging and gave me the opportunity to learn a lot. What I appreciated most was the supportive environment, practical activities and the opportunity to meet inspiring people. It was a rewarding experience that helped me grow both personally and professionally.”

Organizations

“During the second edition of the Hack Your Future event, we once again had the opportunity to meet exceptional young talents who set the bar very high with their knowledge, creativity and ideas. Although they had no idea what to expect before the project began, they took on the challenge with great enthusiasm, and the results of their work were of a professional standard. We particularly value their fresh perspective on the way we operate and their ability to bring innovative solutions that provided a welcome new perspective on our everyday processes. As a result, we are planning to further develop several of their ideas and explore ways to put them into practice. I believe this was not our last meeting and that we will be able to build on this experience through further collaboration. The talent and potential demonstrated by the participants during the event certainly deserve our attention in the future as well.”

Romana Stankovičová, Placement Slovakia

“It was truly fascinating to watch how five students from different backgrounds tackled a real challenge that we face within SolidIntern. Over the course of just a few days, they went from knowing absolutely nothing about the platform to presenting ideas that made us rethink parts of our own communication strategy. What impressed me most was how naturally they were able to understand the students’ perspective – since they are students themselves, they were solving a problem designed specifically for this target group. These are exactly the kind of fresh and authentic insights that we do not usually get from within our own team, and we are already planning to incorporate some of their ideas into our actual communication plan.”

Marco Demattia, LEO - NET

The second edition of the Hack Your Future programme built on the success of the pilot edition and confirmed that connecting talented students with the real needs of organizations creates value for both sides. We are delighted to see growing interest from both organizations and students, and we are already looking forward to the next edition, new challenges, interesting assignments and more young people who want to gain practical experience during their studies and take the first steps in their careers.

The second edition of the Hack Your Future programme built on the success of the pilot edition and confirmed that connecting talented students with the real needs of companies creates value for both sides. We are delighted to see growing interest from both organizations and students, and we are already looking forward to the next edition, new challenges, exciting projects and more young people who want to gain practical experience during their studies and take the first steps in their careers.