With the Fourth Industrial, i.e. Digital Revolution, we have a chance to make up for lagging behind and catch up with more developed countries. This technological revolution will fundamentally change our lives, it is inevitable and unstoppable. Only winning societies choose to welcome changes, they do not averse from them. The digitization process will enhance the standard and quality of life for hundreds of thousands of Serbian citizens. Efficiency will be increased, costs will be reduced and new value will be created in almost all areas of life and work. The digitization process is the most important catalyst of innovations, competitiveness and growth.
In the era of digitalization, the skills necessary for conducting business are also being digitalized. People who are ready to look ahead and change with the times have the best chance of success. People with vision are those who succeed in the modern society. We have a vision of Serbia as a country of best opportunities for all its citizens. We are working together to, not only create opportunities, but also learn how to use of them to the fullest.
The project was launched on the proposal of the Ministerial Council for Innovative Entrepreneurship and Information Technology, chaired by Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Ana Brnabic. Trainings in the IT prequalification program have been designed with the goal of quickly contributing to the talent offerings in the labor market. The program for unemployed candidates is implemented by the National Employment Agency, while the program for employeed individuals is conducted by the Office for IT and eGovernment in cooperation with the Cabinet of the Prime Minister.
Potential candidates take the aptitude and work potential tests for working in the IT sector, on the basis of which they are ranked. The aim of the program is to train people who meet the needs of the industry, which will be determined on the basis of company surveys.
So far, two prequalification rounds for employeed and unemployed individuals have been finalized, and 800 participants have successfully completed the training, while the third round - intended exclusively for the unemployed individuals – is in progress. Within the third round, a call for employeed individuals who wish to change their profession and try out the information technology sector was published.
The program is very profitable, because the newly-employed programmers “repay”, through taxes, the amount invested in their training in about 6 months. The average starting salary of employed individuals from the pilot phase of prequalification is around 45,000 dinars. With more than 30% of employees from the pilot phase of prequalification being in positions of developers, the investment is returned to the state through taxes and contributions in less than a year, while the overall effect on Serbia's economy is much higher.