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Марія БровінськаІсторії
20 October 2025, 09:00
2025-10-20
"When everyone in IT dreams of 'remote' and 'free schedule', I realized: I need a different type of freedom." The story of a veteran who consciously chose the office format of work from 9 to 18, and does not regret it at all
Software Developer at Sigma Software Group Alexander Filippov is a veteran who managed to return to IT after demobilization. He returned to IT for the third time — before the war he had a break in his profession, trying to create a business. Unlike many IT workers, he chose an office format of work, because he believes that «frames remove noise.»
dev.ua talked to Oleksandr about what it’s like to return from the army to civilian life, to work in an office when most professionals are looking for complete remote work, and about the importance of freedom in the life of a former military man.
Software Developer at Sigma Software Group Alexander Filippov is a veteran who managed to return to IT after demobilization. He returned to IT for the third time — before the war he had a break in his profession, trying to create a business. Unlike many IT workers, he chose an office format of work, because he believes that «frames remove noise.»
dev.ua talked to Oleksandr about what it’s like to return from the army to civilian life, to work in an office when most professionals are looking for complete remote work, and about the importance of freedom in the life of a former military man.
Returned to IT three times
Oleksandr was born in Sudak in the Ukrainian Crimea. Before 2014, he moved to western Ukraine with his father. «I tried the „international“ at Lviv Polytechnic, but I realized that it wasn’t for me, so I transferred to Chernivtsi to study applied mathematics and systems analysis,» the IT expert tells about his life path. He admits that he never had a fixed dream «childhood profession.» «I’m more of a doer. But I clearly know my dream now,» says Oleksandr.
Having received an education in Applied Mathematics and Systems Analysis, he managed to work a little in IT and business before joining the army.
His first job in IT was a startup in Ivano-Frankivsk. «I was a front-end developer and even moved there from Chernivtsi. I passed the first interview literally on „HTML, JS, CSS“. I started with $500 — warm memories,» he recalls. Then the man lived abroad for many years, and in the end, having returned to Ukraine and tried himself in different guises, he decided to return to IT.
As a veteran, Oleksandr has already returned to IT for the third time. «In fact, I am returning to IT for the third time: the first time was during and after university; the second time was after Covid, when I returned from business; and then a full-scale invasion and service. Now is the third return. The experience and understanding of processes have remained, it is easier to adapt,» he says. .
Oleksandr joined IT as a junior developer at Sigma Software Group in 2022. But he was mobilized almost immediately. «The war canceled many plans, but not all connections,» says Oleksandr. After 2.5 years, he was discharged from the army, and his employer, who had supported the specialist throughout his service, accepted him back into the team.
«The company supported me from the first to the last day of service and in the spring of 2022, they directly said, ‘The work will wait.’ So I just went back to where they were waiting for me,» he explains.
He recalls that the reaction of his family to his husband’s decision to defend Ukraine was not easy. «I think the reactions in most families are similar. It’s difficult. But we are what our choices make us,» the AIT resident explains.
Military history
Oleksandr has gone through a thorny path in the army from infantry and senior in the AGS calculation to countering UAVs and providing communications in the combat zone. «In the army, everyone has one goal: to complete the task and return alive. It’s very concentrated. Such motivation then works well in civilian life,» he says.
He shared a memory that had the greatest impact on the military specialist.
«There was a day when it became obvious: the organizations and countries that were supposed to protect us actually did not do it — neither with weapons nor with permits. We were left face to face with the aggressor, while the world watched online. I always loved mathematics more than history, but then I began to study history and geopolitics in depth — otherwise you would not understand who is who on the continent,» the AIT resident admits.
Now, says Oleksandr, the initiative and responsibility developed in the army are very helpful to him in his work in IT. «Almost 30 months in the war is a long time, and I was constantly looking for where I could be useful and what „turns me on“. When you do something interesting and necessary, it’s easier to take a new initiative. I do the same at Sigma (smiles),» he says.
Changing the environment
Oleksandr is convinced that discipline is the solution to half the problems. «Everything changed during the war, I became different. Therefore, everything is new, for the new me,» the developer shares.
According to the IT worker, he has been waking up at 7:00 for a year now without an alarm clock. «It used to be hard to wake me up, but now my wife gets coffee in bed more often than ever (laughs). The team also makes a lot of decisions: it’s easier to grow with ‘their own’ people,» says Oleksandr.
The uniqueness of the specialist’s story also lies in the fact that he deliberately chose an unusual format for his work.
«In the army, there is no schedule — there is a task. The day drags on or shrinks, and it doesn’t matter. The main thing is to get it done. So when everyone in IT dreams of „remote work“ and „free schedule,“ I realized: I need a different type of freedom,» says the developer.
So when Sigma gave him a choice, the specialist deliberately chose the 9–18 office.
«The frames eliminate noise. I know when I’m working and when I’m recovering. Fewer switches means more focus,» Oleksandr explains his choice. «In the office, it’s better for me to separate work and home. At home, it’s easy to get stuck in one chair from morning till night.»
In addition, he really appreciates the opportunity to communicate live with the team: «There are people nearby who you can get feedback from in 5 minutes. For Jun, it’s a rocket, not a brake.»
Another benefit of working in an office for Alexander is the ritual of closure. «The way home is my debriefing. Closing the laptop is closing the day,» he says.
His office is located in a coworking space in Chernivtsi, next to other IT companies, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. «It’s a vibrant environment. And yes, there’s a big purple sofa behind me — it helps my back and sometimes saves me when I need to fill out something while lying down with my laptop,» the specialist says.
Among other advantages of the office format is everyday life. «There is a dining room nearby — it is tasty and inexpensive. For the family, this is a plus: I eat fresh food, and my wife has more time for herself,» says Oleksandr. «I came to try it — and I liked it. Winter is ahead, it may be difficult, let’s see how we work further.»
Aitivets explains: he is not against remote work. «For me, structure equals freedom: predictability, faster growth, and — most importantly — energy for life after work,» the developer says.
The value of civilian life
Nararzi Oleksandr extremely appreciates the time spent with his wife. «We spend a lot of time together with my wife and two shih tzu. Every week we go to my dad. I lived abroad for many years, then the war, now we are catching up. Now I am undergoing post-operative rehabilitation. In the evenings we collect puzzles — a simple activity, but such family rituals, calm activities, work with the body as part of rehabilitation help him recover after the service.
Nowadays, the main value for an IT person is the freedom to be yourself. «Ukrainians have paid for this with blood for centuries — and we are paying for it now. Freedom is not given, it is fought for. We must remember this,» says Oleksandr.
His dream is to open a photo studio for his wife and to thank his colleagues by becoming a mentor and passing on his knowledge to the next generation of IT professionals. «My colleagues helped me a lot to get back into the rhythm. Sigma has an internal university and certifications; at the same time, I love Udemy. And most importantly, I have a strong mentor, Yura, who constantly helps me improve. Yura, hello and thank you,» Oleksandr says gratefully.
The veteran adds: now, not only colleagues, but also the state help to integrate into civilian life. Here is his advice to veterans who are looking for themselves after being discharged from the army: «Go to modern employment centers — it’s no longer a „scoop“. There are „job-based“ training programs, where after the course you are almost guaranteed to get a job. There are grants for training and for your own business. There are many opportunities — don’t be afraid, you will not be left alone.»
«The army is a discipline and a system of „shelving“. As in IT, in the army you are surrounded by constant changes, so there must be an alternative plan.» The story of a veteran who decided to radically change his life and became an IT worker
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dev.ua розпитав роботодавців, які можливості вони мають для джунів та чи готові вони ростити собі кадри.
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