Motivation and Goals

The demand for IT knowledge and skills is continuously increasing, along with the diversity of those skills. The IT industry in Serbia is clearly growing, but its expansion is currently limited by the number of qualified professionals available to meet market needs. Individuals who did not have the opportunity to enter the IT field through formal education often lack access to the necessary training, or face financial barriers that make additional education and retraining difficult.

To help bridge this gap in the labor market and support Serbia’s economic development, a group of donors from the Serbian diaspora decided to establish an IT school in cooperation with the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation. The school’s mission is to provide free IT education to individuals who have not had the opportunity to receive formal training in this field. The courses are focused on practical, job-oriented skills in order to improve participants’ employability. The curriculum also includes training in professional and corporate etiquette, which is essential for individual success, increased productivity, and career advancement.

The next step is for participants to contribute through their motivation and dedication. Serbia has the potential to build the strongest IT sector in the region if we work together toward that goal.

The school is governed by a board responsible for implementing its business plan, funded through donations from the diaspora.

• Providing access to fundamental IT knowledge for students from other fields, high school graduates, and unemployed individuals.
• Inspiring people to pursue careers in the IT industry, particularly those who cannot afford additional education and training.
• Helping the majority of course graduates secure internships and employment opportunities in the IT industry.

• Ana Koeshall (Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation)
• Vladimir Delić
• Vuk Radović
• Petar Marković
• Nemanja Petrović
• Milena Đorđević (School Manager)

In 2018, the free, non-profit IT Bootcamp school began operating at the Science and Technology Park Belgrade, which provided infrastructural support for the initiative. The Park supplied training facilities along with the necessary equipment and resources. This enabled IT Bootcamp participants to attend classes in a state-of-the-art environment and at the very epicenter of Belgrade’s young and growing IT community. For more information, please visit: www.ntpark.rs

During 2019 and 2020, classrooms were located at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade www.mas.bg.ac.rs, the Faculty of Mathematics in Belgrade www.matf.bg.ac.rs, and Think Innovative in Niš and Belgrade www.thinkinnovative.rs.

Due to the impact of COVID-19 on both the economy and education worldwide, as well as in Serbia, the school adapted its teaching model in 2020 to meet new challenges by introducing live online classes. At present, all courses continue to be delivered live online.

During classes, participants are required to keep their microphones and cameras turned on. We hope that returning to in-person classroom instruction will become feasible again in the future.