TUMO Army: 21st Century Learning with a Buzz Cut

YEREVAN (TUMO)—A world of technology and creativity is awaiting the young men serving in Armenia’s military.

A new partnership between the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies and the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia will allow draftees to take advantage of the TUMO educational program while serving in the Army. By attending TUMO centers twice a week over the course of eight months, soldiers stationed at Army bases will gain skills in fields such as computer programming, robotics, digital graphics, and digital music composition.

Today was the first working meeting between TUMO staff members and representatives from the Defense Ministry of Armenia. The pilot program will launch on Feb. 20 at TUMO centers in close proximity to bases. It is designed to accommodate the different educational levels and future career goals of soldiers, and is expected to expand over the coming years to include all soldiers enlisted in Armenia’s two-year compulsory service.

Serving in the army often represents an interruption in a young man’s educational trajectory following high school, prior to university and the start of his career. But the conditions in a military base also create a unique learning opportunity, with a culture of dedicated service coupled with the absence of distractions. The goal of TUMO’s flexible and results-oriented program is to complement the knowledge gained through formal education. By offering intensive lessons that foster creativity and develop mastery in technology, we hope to augment the potential of young Armenians not only during their military service, but also after de-enlistment. The TUMO program will help unlock abilities in young Armenians who may not otherwise have the opportunity to study and explore their interests outside of the formal education system.

“We are very happy to be able to extend advanced learning opportunities to these young men,” said TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian. “Soldiers who were TUMO students before being drafted will be able to continue their studies even while they are serving on the front lines. But more importantly, all those draftees who did not have access to a TUMO center while studying in school will now be able to gain 21st century skills and discover new horizons for personal development and growth. I am sure many of them will find new inspiration for their education and careers as they prepare to return to civilian life.”