Testlio Opens Applications for Fourth Ignite Program The scholarship-based initiative provides career upskilling opportunities in software testing to people from select LATAM and EMEA countries. February 12, 2024, Austin, TX – Today, Testlio, a global software testing company, began accepting applications to Ignite. The 10-week, scholarship-based training program provides professional and social impact for people who have seen career challenges, inclusive of those related to identity and/or experiences. The program aims to bridge gaps in the tech industry by helping people from underrepresented backgrounds start and boost their careers in quality assurance, quality engineering, and testing leadership. Testlio Ignite was launched in 2020. It is a career upskilling initiative that targets 10-12 participants per program. While helping advance professional careers, it also seeks to address industry-wide issues and disparities, such as unequal access to opportunities and the underrepresentation of women, people of color, refugees, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and those facing physical challenges or violence/abuse. Steve Semelsberger, CEO of Testlio, said, “All of us at Testlio are honored to provide the Ignite program. We are committed to helping people who face difficulties in building and advancing their careers due to their identities, life experiences, and/or limited opportunities in their countries. I’m grateful to everyone who has made Ignite possible over the years. Special thanks this year to our Ignite Leadership team, including Program Lead and former Ignite graduate Marina Diaz.” This year’s program will exclusively consider candidates from lower income countries in Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa where opportunities for technology jobs are sometimes scarce. The training will focus on uplifting the participants’ skills in high-demand areas of software testing: specialty testing, test automation, and testing leadership. All participants will receive formal skills training, 1:1 mentorship, a weekly scholarship grant of $150 to $200, access to technology, career guidance, and more. Over the past three classes, 30 participants (88% of those who began) have successfully completed the Ignite program. 100% experienced low income. 56% of participants were women. 53% were Black and 27% Latino. 12% had been incarcerated, and 30% had experienced violence. Out of the 30 graduates, 60% continue to work full-time or freelance with Testlio—where they continue to have access to competitive compensation, education, training, and career advancement opportunities. The Testlio Ignite program is an example of how global, remote, and distributed companies, with the ability to work with talent from all over the world, have a unique opportunity to act as agents of change. Testlio sees that they also have a collective responsibility to help remove common obstacles in tech. CEO Semelsberger further expressed, “At Testlio, we work hard to foster social impact. Upholding values that encourage diversity, equity, and inclusion, and pursuing an equitable distribution of opportunities is crucial to all of us, including our Founder Kristel Kruustük. We are excited to welcome a new group of Ignite participants and encourage anyone interested to apply.” Applications for the Ignite program are open. Key dates to note are: Application Window: February 12 to March 8, 2024. Select Candidate Interviews: March 18 to March 22, 2024. Acceptance Notifications: March 26, 2024 Program: 10 weeks from April 1 to June 7, 2024. Interested candidates can learn more and apply by visiting: testlio.com/ignite. About Testlio Testlio is a software testing company. We are the originator of fused software testing, a unique approach to testing that combines humans and machines to help digital innovators deliver quality products at scale. In any location. On any device. In any language. Via any payment method. The company is distributed by design, with full-time people worldwide and part-time QA and QE freelancers in over 150 countries. Clients include Amazon, athenahealth, Microsoft, the NBA, Netflix, PayPal, Uber, Wayfair, and many more. To learn more, visit www.testlio.com. For media inquiries, please contact Yasmin Mounajed, Testlio VP of Marketing.