Introduce yourself and tell us what motivated you to enroll in our course?
I am Vlatka Ogulinac, I am 34 years old and I come from Zagreb.
I am currently working as a Quality Assurance Manager in the food industry.
I enrolled in this faculty because it provides me with new knowledge, and with the completion of the graduate course in Environmental Protection, business opportunities will certainly open up in the future where I will use what I have learned, because it is a very attractive field that is developing more and more.
How would you describe your experience studying at VSS?
My experience at VSS is very positive and it stems from factors that are important to me.
In addition to the interdisciplinarity of the study program, the importance of teamwork and independent work, practical learning and critical thinking are emphasized.
As most of the students study alongside work and the lectures are in the afternoon, the professors are aware of this and really go out of their way to meet them, and the timetable is adjusted to the maximum. You have the support of the student office every day, and whenever you contact you, you get a quick and adequate answer.
What skills and knowledge did you acquire during your studies?
During my studies, I gained a wide range of knowledge and perfected many skills and competencies that I am sure will be useful in my future work as an environmental protection expert.
I learned a lot and my knowledge and expertise definitely grew! The professors are top experts in the domain of what they teach, and some of my favorite subjects were: Standards and Quality Assurance, Society and Risks, Leadership in Disaster Protection and of course – Environmental Protection. I’m looking forward to new subjects, writing a thesis and all the challenges that will be in the final year!
How did our study help you in your personal and professional development?
I believe that the Polytechnic of Security Studies is an ideal place to achieve goals related to education and personal and professional development in the field of security.
I met many professors and colleagues who work in the field of safety, occupational health and environmental protection, and this networking serves me well as a step forward.
Is there a special moment or experience during your studies that you would like to highlight?
In addition to all the learned and acquired experience, a great motivation for me during my studies is that the Polytechnic covers 50% of my tuition fees because, through my efforts and the references of many years of work experience; almost 15 years in the departments of Control and Quality Assurance recognized as a candidate for a scholarship. The polytechnic thus gives me the wind at my back and positive energy to continue developing in the domain of what I am interested in, and it becomes one of my favorite life experiences!
Due to my recommendation and positive experience, one of my friends enrolled at the Polytechnic this fall! I am happy that others also recognize the attractive and good direction in which the Polytechnic is going!
How do you plan to use the acquired knowledge in your career?
The topic of ecological-climatic changes, socio-cultural challenges modeled by global demographic migrations and very accelerated technological development are new challenges that security experts are facing.
Therefore, I believe that it is the duty of current and future generations of security engineers to invest effort and energy in education and to continuously improve their knowledge, skills and competences in order to contribute as best as possible by responding to emerging events in Croatia and the world.
Environmental protection is a set of appropriate activities and measures aimed at preventing environmental hazards, preventing environmental damage and/or pollution, reducing and/or eliminating environmental damage, and returning the environment to its pre-damage state. In my spare time, I like hiking and spending time in nature, which is why environmental protection is very important to me.
Terms such as sustainable development, climate change, carbon footprint, etc. are increasingly common in everyday conversation when we talk about the working environment. It is very important to promote corporate culture and raise the awareness of each employee about the importance of contributing to an effective environmental protection system by conducting training.
I am grateful that following the trends and transferring the knowledge that the Polytechnic offers will greatly influence the growth of my career, and I will definitely try to transfer what I have learned to my colleagues and the environment I am in!