With more than 15 years of experience in the IT industry, Svetislav has a breadth of knowledge that he selflessly shares with anyone who chooses an IT career. However, he does not hide that his most important pillar is his family and that he always gives it a priority. Behind his work and success is, above all, a great desire to help people.
Svetislav Simić sincerely believes in people and sees and awakens their valid values in them. A person who points out real and actual values to young people and conveys the true beauty and passion of working in the IT industry. He is one of the founders of a non-governmental organization focused on organizing free courses for people with disabilities. He is also a co-owner of one of the most successful agencies in Serbia dealing with artificial intelligence development, Propeler Center.
He started his career at the Electrical Engineering School, where he immediately introduced modern IT courses, and one of the first was “Computer Network Administrator”, which was soon introduced as a regular course at all Electrical Engineering Schools in Serbia.
The desire to help an injured student led him to found the Association of Citizens, the Center for IT Education. Over time, the association developed around a noble idea: organizing free IT retraining for people with disabilities. “From 2013 to today, more than 300 people with disabilities have completed this training, and we have directly employed about 50 of them,” Sima proudly explains.
In 2019, together with a former student, he founded the company Propeler centar, which deals with the development of artificial intelligence and the organization of IT courses.
What is your goal with the Propeller Center?
To create a center where young people will have the opportunity to experiment in the field of technology, develop their ideas and receive support from the Propeler Center, both financially and in the form of knowledge. Our plan is to build a place where dreams come true.
What drives you the most in business?
The people. In everything I do, I love working with people and for people. And I am the best at career development. Anyone who comes to me and is willing to learn and work, I can help them build a great career and be successful.
Svetislav points out that he finds it easy to impart knowledge to others because he understands the subject matter very well. If he had been born in another country, he would certainly have become a professor at one of the renowned universities.
Tell us more about the courses organized by Propeller Center?
“We organize retraining and continuing education courses aimed at both beginners and people already working in the world of IT. The lecturers are the most successful and influential personalities in this industry, who have in-depth knowledge. People who have grown from a scion to a redwood. Course participants must be aware that they will have to learn and work a lot, because the course lasts 4 months and requires intensive work.”
Sima points out that they prefer to work with programmers who want to further their education, and that’s who the Data Science course is aimed at. Another course is in the works, currently in the experimental phase, and will be launched by next year.
What technological innovation fascinates you the most right now?
“Quantum computing! This is an evolutionary leap in the industry. In quantum computers, information is contained at the atomic level. At this level, the classical laws of physics no longer apply, but quantum rules do. And when quantum computers come to life on a chip, we will have the computing power to recognize everything that is happening in the world at that moment. “
We can not help but notice that he talks about this with so much love and sparkle in his eye. He adds that he dreams of returning to quantum mechanics one day because this world is magical and fabulous for him.
The IT industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 30 years. What do you think awaits us in the next 30 years?
“If we are optimistic and assume that the world will evolve, everything will move to the cloud, everything will be digitized, most machines will be smart, a large number of jobs will disappear because many things will be digitized… like cabs, because autonomous vehicles have already come a long way.
“Technology will advance faster than human consciousness can change. And the technology will be abused more than it will be put to good use.”
Svetislav is one of the IT Bootcamp lecturers and developed the “Automated Testers” course for them. Of 50 first-generation participants who completed the course, 39 found jobs immediately.
Why did you choose the Automatic Tester course?
Because they have no competition because what they learn in this course they can not learn anywhere else, in any school or college. In 4 months, I teach people the basics of Java Script and teach them to write a program that imitates the user of an application, that is, to test an application. It is a very responsible task and position. And we are very successful with it, because the percentage of employment is almost 70%.
Do you consider yourself successful?
Absolutely yes. I have influenced many people and contributed to them having a better life. And because of that, I feel a certain satisfaction inside me all the time. I do not look at success through money, but through the people who surround me.
What is the secret formula for success in the world of IT?
The formula is very clear and simple. A lot of work and effort, and of course you can not neglect the people around you. At IT it is important to be a team player, there are no more small projects where you can shine and expect a one-man show. Team spirit is what is valued more.
And finally, what would be your message to people in the IT industry?
Never burn bridges behind you.
With more than 15 years of experience in the IT industry, Svetislav has a breadth of knowledge that he selflessly shares with anyone who chooses an IT career. However, he does not hide that his most important pillar is his family and that he always gives it a priority. Behind his work and success is, above all, a great desire to help people.
Svetislav Simić sincerely believes in people and sees and awakens their valid values in them. A person who points out real and actual values to young people and conveys the true beauty and passion of working in the IT industry. He is one of the founders of a non-governmental organization focused on organizing free courses for people with disabilities. He is also a co-owner of one of the most successful agencies in Serbia dealing with artificial intelligence development, Propeler Center.
He started his career at the Electrical Engineering School, where he immediately introduced modern IT courses, and one of the first was “Computer Network Administrator”, which was soon introduced as a regular course at all Electrical Engineering Schools in Serbia.
The desire to help an injured student led him to found the Association of Citizens, the Center for IT Education. Over time, the association developed around a noble idea: organizing free IT retraining for people with disabilities. “From 2013 to today, more than 300 people with disabilities have completed this training, and we have directly employed about 50 of them,” Sima proudly explains.
In 2019, together with a former student, he founded the company Propeler centar, which deals with the development of artificial intelligence and the organization of IT courses.
What is your goal with the Propeller Center?
To create a center where young people will have the opportunity to experiment in the field of technology, develop their ideas and receive support from the Propeler Center, both financially and in the form of knowledge. Our plan is to build a place where dreams come true.
What drives you the most in business?
The people. In everything I do, I love working with people and for people. And I am the best at career development. Anyone who comes to me and is willing to learn and work, I can help them build a great career and be successful.
Svetislav points out that he finds it easy to impart knowledge to others because he understands the subject matter very well. If he had been born in another country, he would certainly have become a professor at one of the renowned universities.
Tell us more about the courses organized by Propeller Center?
“We organize retraining and continuing education courses aimed at both beginners and people already working in the world of IT. The lecturers are the most successful and influential personalities in this industry, who have in-depth knowledge. People who have grown from a scion to a redwood. Course participants must be aware that they will have to learn and work a lot, because the course lasts 4 months and requires intensive work.”
Sima points out that they prefer to work with programmers who want to further their education, and that’s who the Data Science course is aimed at. Another course is in the works, currently in the experimental phase, and will be launched by next year.
What technological innovation fascinates you the most right now?
“Quantum computing! This is an evolutionary leap in the industry. In quantum computers, information is contained at the atomic level. At this level, the classical laws of physics no longer apply, but quantum rules do. And when quantum computers come to life on a chip, we will have the computing power to recognize everything that is happening in the world at that moment. “
We can not help but notice that he talks about this with so much love and sparkle in his eye. He adds that he dreams of returning to quantum mechanics one day because this world is magical and fabulous for him.
The IT industry has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 30 years. What do you think awaits us in the next 30 years?
“If we are optimistic and assume that the world will evolve, everything will move to the cloud, everything will be digitized, most machines will be smart, a large number of jobs will disappear because many things will be digitized… like cabs, because autonomous vehicles have already come a long way.
“Technology will advance faster than human consciousness can change. And the technology will be abused more than it will be put to good use.”
Svetislav is one of the IT Bootcamp lecturers and developed the “Automated Testers” course for them. Of 50 first-generation participants who completed the course, 39 found jobs immediately.
Why did you choose the Automatic Tester course?
Because they have no competition because what they learn in this course they can not learn anywhere else, in any school or college. In 4 months, I teach people the basics of Java Script and teach them to write a program that imitates the user of an application, that is, to test an application. It is a very responsible task and position. And we are very successful with it, because the percentage of employment is almost 70%.
Do you consider yourself successful?
Absolutely yes. I have influenced many people and contributed to them having a better life. And because of that, I feel a certain satisfaction inside me all the time. I do not look at success through money, but through the people who surround me.
What is the secret formula for success in the world of IT?
The formula is very clear and simple. A lot of work and effort, and of course you can not neglect the people around you. At IT it is important to be a team player, there are no more small projects where you can shine and expect a one-man show. Team spirit is what is valued more.
And finally, what would be your message to people in the IT industry?
