Power to the people: Meet UBS Global Visionary Powercoders

At its core, the problem we aim to address is the significant barrier to economic inclusion that refugees and migrants face. They often struggle with unemployment or underemployment due to a lack of local work experience, language barriers, or recognition of their qualifications. At the same time, the ICT industry is experiencing a shortage of skilled professionals, limiting its growth and innovation potential.

Our solution is to connect these dots: by equipping refugees and migrants with in-demand tech skills, we enable them to access meaningful career opportunities while filling the talent gap in the tech industry. Powercoders focuses on training refugees and migrants in Switzerland, while Remotecoders provides remote employment opportunities, expanding our impact globally.

The inspiration for Powercoders began in 2016, during the Syrian refugee crisis, with a deep desire to create sustainable, life-changing opportunities for refugees. Witnessing the talent, resilience, and untapped potential of refugees in Switzerland, we saw a chance to bridge a critical gap: while refugees often struggle to integrate into the local workforce, the ICT industry faces a growing skills shortage. By combining these two realities, we realized we could drive impactful change.

We know from our own experience that the ICT sector, with its relatively low barriers to entry and constant demand for new talent, provides an ideal platform to empower refugees through coding and tech skills. This approach not only transforms individual lives but also contributes to a more inclusive and diverse tech community, while addressing the sector’s talent shortage.

Our approach stands out by seamlessly combining education (SDG 4), decent work (SDG 8), and reduced inequalities (SDG 10) into one coherent model. We not only train refugees in technical skills but also provide holistic support, including mentorship, job placement, and ongoing career development. This comprehensive model ensures that participants are prepared for the demands of the job market and that employers see the value in hiring diverse talent. Additionally, our model extends beyond borders. Remotecoders leverages remote work to connect IT talent in underserved regions, like Egypt, with international clients, promoting global inclusivity and economic empowerment. Our approach is built on creating lasting change by addressing both the supply and demand sides of the labor market.

Powercoders has achieved sustainable financing, with 60% of its funding coming from the ICT industry and 40% from the government. Our journey began with crucial support from foundations and the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) to launch the program.

Remotecoders, a newer initiative, is still in its early stages. It operates as part of a 3-year Sustainable Development Cooperation (SDC) program but hasn’t yet reached the scale and sustainability of Powercoders. Although SDC has committed to a consecutive project phase with lower funding support, we need to secure around CHF 1M in the coming months to drive further growth for Remotecoders. Achieving this financial goal is critical to expanding our impact and reaching sustainability similar to Powercoders.

Focus on initiatives that offer sustainable solutions, not just short-term relief. Programs that empower refugees with in-demand skills, provide pathways to meaningful work, and actively engage the business community have the potential for long-term impact.

Supporting projects like Powercoders and Remotecoders means investing in human potential and economic integration, benefiting both refugees and the wider society. To truly address the issue, it’s also crucial to follow the migration path, tackle the root causes of migration early on, and increase the absorption capacity along migration routes, as we do with Remotecoders.

With unlimited resources, our first action would be to establish a global network of coding academies and remote work hubs, specifically targeting regions with high refugee populations and underdeveloped tech ecosystems. This approach would enable us to scale up training and job placement efforts rapidly, ensuring broader access to quality education and remote job opportunities.

We would also invest in awareness campaigns to change the narrative around hiring refugees and promote policies that incentivize inclusive hiring practices. Additionally, a significant portion of resources would go toward convincing companies in highly developed countries to not just outsource for cheap labor, but to combine outsourcing with efforts to reduce global inequalities, promoting fair opportunities and shared prosperity. Lastly, we would fund research to develop new models for measuring the economic contributions of refugees in the workforce, attracting more investment to the cause.

The Crossing by Samar Yazbek – This powerful book inspired Christian during the early days of Powercoders. Yazbek, a Syrian writer and journalist, risked her life to bear witness to the suffering in her war-torn homeland. Through vivid accounts, she captures Syria's descent from peaceful demonstrations to the rise of ISIS, sharing stories of soldiers, children, and everyday people trying to survive. The book’s raw and luminous prose deepened Christian's understanding of the refugee crisis, reinforcing the urgency of creating opportunities for refugees through education and work.