What is your current job position?
I am currently the Head of Human Resources (I also manage the department of occupational safety, fire protection and environmental protection).
What major did you complete, and are you employed in the same field today?
I completed my undergraduate study in occupational safety, and the postgraduate study of integral safety (all at the same university). Immediately after finishing my studies, I got a job in the same field, in an international company where I am still working today.
Why did you decide to study this field and do you believe that this is the profession of the future?
After graduating from high school, I had different interest on what to study. However, my father who was an economist, for who I can freely say is a visionary, recommended me to study security and safety at the university, considering it a profession of the future, and from my own experience I can say that he was right. To this day, I am grateful to him for that.
What are the three things that you benefited from at VSS?
Some colleagues from VSS have become my friends for life. I am still in contact with many colleagues today, we exchange our experiences s well as practical advice. This has also benefited me when I started working and any advice from my colleagues was highly beneficial as they have already worked in the same profession.
At the postgraduate study of security, I listened to the course Society and Risks that was lectured by professor Ognjen Čaldarović. His excellent lecture and interesting course are the reasons for enrolling in the doctoral study of sociology, which I completed in 2020 under the mentorship of the same professor.
The university was highly beneficial for my professional life and development. Therefore it is important to be persistent and to follow your goals.
What was your biggest student concern at VSS and does it make sense now?
My biggest student concern was listening to highly professional subjects and theory and understanding how to apply it into practice. However, once you actually star working, everything becomes much clearer.
Can you highlight a specific situation that made you proud of the job that you do?
I would highlight a coordinated inspection in the company where I work, where 7 inspections from different areas of protection (ZNR, ZOP, ZO, water, sanitary, pressure vessels and electricity) came and where I was the person responsible for that department in the company – the conclusion of the supervision was is that no irregularities were observed from any area. Of course I was proud, I applied the knowledge that I gained at college in the manufacturing sector. Of course, teamwork and the support of colleagues and company management are important for a final good result.
What advice would you give to potential students that are thinking of applying to VSS?
If they have the opportunity, they should definitely talk to colleagues who are employed in security jobs, to get an insight into what those jobs involve. Opportunities are different, safety, for both workers and the environment, must come first, and I believe more and more employers are looking in that direction. So there will be numerous job opportunities, it’s up to you to recognize and take advantage of them!