Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer Reskilling Program (in cooperation with Cerebrum Hub)

The objective of the QA reskilling program is to provide hands-on comprehensive training for individuals seeking to start a career in IT as Manual and Automation Quality Assurance Engineers (or Software Testers). 

Over a period of 7 months, the intensive program is designed to equip individuals with the skills and experience required for a Junior QA Engineer or Software Tester role.

Built on real-world junior QA specialist work patterns, participants engage in actual tasks for businesses, ensuring hands-on experience. By the program’s conclusion, participants will have a solid portfolio of six completed projects, showcasing their expertise to potential employers.

Additionally, the QA Engineer Program includes a career module, helping learners in job preparation and enhancing their chances of successful employment in software testing roles.

By the end of the course the participant:

• Understands Agile Methodologies and Project Planning
• Has proficiency in Functional Testing and Bug Reporting
• Is capable of Testing Documentation by using Advanced Testing Techniques
• Has fundamental knowledge of UI Testing Automation
• Has knowledge of advanced JavaScript and Cypress for UI Testing
• Has proficiency in API Testing Automation Skills
• Has expertise in Effective Professional Branding and Online Presence
• Implements effective interview techniques and is aware of best practices
• Performs resilience in Job Search and Continuous Improvement

The course is primarily aimed at individuals keen on launching a career in IT, particularly in the field of Software Testing.

This includes:

• Beginners with minimal or no prior background in IT
• Individuals looking to shift their career path into the technology sector
• Professionals seeking to update their skillset in line with the latest trends in software testing

Prerequisites:

• An elementary (basic) understanding of computer operation and software use
• Proficiency in English at least at the B2 level, as the course materials and instruction are delivered in English
• A commitment to the 7-month course duration, with an estimated weekly effort of 8–10 hours

The course is accessible to a wide range of learners, including those starting from scratch, and provides them with the foundational skills necessary for a successful transition into the IT industry.

Learning tools:

• A reliable computer or laptop with internet access, capable of running modern software testing tools; working microphone and camera.
• Operating system: Windows, macOS, or Linux, with sufficient processing power and memory to support testing environments.
• Access to software testing tools and platforms used in the course, such as Selenium WebDriver, Postman, Atlassian Software (Jira & Confluence), JavaScript, Cypress, and others. (Note: These tools are freely available as part of the course materials).
• Stable internet connection for accessing online resources, participating in virtual learning sessions, and collaborating with instructors and peers.

Program Duration: 7 months
Amount of hours in total 356 academic hours:

• 58 academic hours of online workshops.
• 298 academic hours of independent study.

Estimated weekly effort: around 8–10 hours.(Every week there is a 1.5-hour long workshop with a mentor, the rest is independent work and work in teams).

Module 1: Manual Software Testing (28 Academic Hours)
Project 1: Testing Fundamentals (1 month)

• Focus on project planning, Agile methodologies, functional testing in browsers, bug reporting in Jira, checklist building, and sprint testing reports.

Project 2: Testing Documentation (1 month)

• Develop testing documentation for a food ordering application and a collaboration platform, including exploratory and regression testing, advanced testing reports, and Jira for time reporting.

Project 3: End-to-End and API Testing (1 month)

• Engage in complex testing scenarios and basics of API testing for a CRM system, covering E2E testing, API architecture, and SQL fundamentals.

Module 2: Automation Testing (24 Academic Hours)
Project 4: UI Testing Automation Fundamentals (3 weeks)

• Automate testing of registration forms using Cypress, covering Visual Code Studio, Git and Github, and local test execution.

Project 5: JavaScript and Advancing Cypress Knowledge (1 month)

• Automate UI testing of task management software, learning JavaScript, OOP for Cypress tests, and CI/CD orchestration.

Project 6: API Testing Using Postman (1 month)
Focus on automating API testing for task management software, introducing Front-End and Back-End architectures, networking fundamentals, and Postman for API testing.

Module 3: Career Development Section: (6 Academic Hours)
Effective Professional Branding and Online Presence: Learners will gain expertise in crafting and tailoring a LinkedIn profile to meet employer expectations, which is crucial for making a strong first impression in the digital space. This includes creating a compelling CV and cover letter and developing a professional video CV, all essential tools for standing out in the job market.

Advanced Interview Skills and Techniques: Participants will learn effective interview techniques and self-presentation best practices. This encompasses preparing for technical interview questions, including solutions, and developing stress relief techniques to enhance performance during interviews. These skills are vital for confidently navigating the interview process.

Resilience in Job Search and Continuous Improvement: The module will equip learners with strategies for handling job rejections and learning from them, fostering resilience in the job search process. This includes understanding how to use feedback constructively to improve future applications and interview performances, which is key to long-term career success.

Read the full description of the course content here

The training takes place in a fully digital and interactive environment, utilizing various online platforms: 

1) Zoom Sessions:
Interactive sessions with mentors for feedback and guidance. 

2) Cerebrum Hub Learning Management System (LMS):
A central platform for accessing video and text materials, and for submitting assignments. 

3) Google Chat:
Used for team collaboration and communication among participants. 

4) Atlassian Software:
Provides practical experience and insights into the projects learners are working on.

The course employs a blend of theoretical and practical learning methods, distributed as follows: 

1) Independent studies and studies in teams (298 Academic Hours): 

Theoretical Learning:

• Every learner can stay on track using the Learning Management System (LMS). The LMS provides a learner detailed overview of the course, access to all materials and a schedule of all events happening during the course
• The program is based on high-quality videos that were made with the help of professionals and experts in the field. Up to 15-minute videos will give an extensive overview of all theoretical aspects of the subject and provide convenient access to testing-related knowledge

Practical Learning: (70% from all course duration)

• Real-world projects: The learning process will be based on real-world projects and applications. The learners will practice skills and gain experience by working with real-world challenges, tasks and situations
• Collaborative learning: The learner will be working in 3- to 4-person teams during every project. This will make the learning process similar to the real-world experience and ensure continuous development of communication, management and leadership skills

2) Online workshops with experts (58 Academic Hours):

Online workshops will happen once a week and will provide learners with an online classroom feel and the possibility to cooperate with each other and mentors. In total learners will participate in 29 online workshops

3) Tools and Platforms Used:

• Cerebrum Hub Learning Management System
• Zoom: For mentor feedback sessions
• Google Chats: For team collaboration and communication
• Atlassian Software: Practical experience with industry-standard tools like Jira and Confluence

GitHub and Tempo: For code management and time tracking.

Every module of the program is followed by the Graduation exam which usually consists of 60 theory-related questions evaluating learners’ knowledge in the particular area.

A digital Certificate of Graduation is available to all learners.

The course consists of two parts:

1. Manual QA
2. Automated QA

There are separate graduation exams and separate certificates for both of these parts. The learner will receive the Certificate of Graduation if fulfil the following criteria in the respective part:

• Assignments – 80% completed
• Workshops – 80% attended
• Weekly reports – 80% submitted
• Time-tracking metric – min 8 hours per week was reported
• Graduation exam – passed

Learners will receive one of two Certificates.

1. Digital Certificate of Graduation (requirements described in “Evaluation criteria” section)
2. Digital Certificate of Participation

* If a learner is not eligible for the Certificate of Graduation, he/she can still receive the Certificate of Participation, unless he/she does not meet the criteria set out below. If the learner does not meet the following criteria, they will not be eligible for a Certificate of Participation:

• Assignments – more than 40% are not completed
• Workshops – more than 40% are not attended
• Weekly reports – more than 40% are not submitted
• Time-tracking metric – less than 5 hours per week
• Graduation exam – not passed

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