Gyumri Tumo: An insider’s look

On May 25, Tumo Center for Creative Technologies officially opened in Gyumri.

Itel.am has recently visited Tumo located inside Gyumri Technology Center where meetings for teenagers were held.

Up to 1000 teenagers will study at Gyumri Tumo

Head of Gyumri Tumo Nare Avagyan says that the idea of opening of the center was born about 1.5 years ago.

“Gyumri Tumo is the third after Yerevan and Dilijan. Around 600-1000 teenagers will study here. The only restriction is the age - 12-18. The studies will last 3 years on average”, she notes.

Nare Avagyan notes that during the orientation meetings, already 400 teenagers were registered. 2 more meetings will be held on June 20 and June 27.

Coordinator for Special Projects in Armenia, PR manager of Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) Vartan Tsulikyan notes that the classes will start in September.

“A similar center will also open in Stepanakert in September which will already become the third Tumo launched in cooperation with the AGBU. It will become an unprecedented opportunity for Artsakh young people and won’t be inferior to Gyumri Tumo by its sizes and capacities”, notes Vartan Tsulikyan.

Communication Head at Tumo Zara Budaghyan notes in her turn that the curriculum will be the same as in Yerevan and Dilijan. The subjects taught include film-making, web programming, game development, animation and a number of others.

Gyumri Tumo as well as other Tumo Centers are free. There is a deposit amount AMD3000 (AMD10000 in Yerevan) which is refunded when the contract is revoked or completed.

Zara Budaghyan finds avid interest in the Center very inspiring.

“The registration process is held in a way there are no queues. We are working out a mechanism which will allow all the specialists of 3 Tumo centers to replace each other regularly. That means, irrespective of where Gyumri Tumo teachers come they will be the best”, notes Zara Budaghyan.

The classes in 3 Tumo centers will kick off on September 7.

Gyumri teenagers about Tumo

One of Gyumri Tumo future students, Karapet Torosyan, is 14 years old. According to him, he decided to study in Tumo once he learned the center was going to be open in Gyumri.

“I’m keen on technologies. I want to mostly take part in robotics classes. I also prefer 3D modeling and website development”, he says.

12-year-old Razmik Makaryan is also interested in robotics.

“Unfortunately, our school doesn’t have technology groups, and it’s a good opportunity for me to study something new. I don’t rule out that in future I will choose this profession. I consider Tumo a thought development center where teenagers build their bright future. I also want to be one of them”, he notes.

Narine Daneghyan