YOUNG PEOPLE CHANGE THE WORLD AND WE ARE HERE TO SHOW THEM THE WAY.

Smart Start is a student development program that offers a great opportunity for students eager to engage in to the digital transformation, in partnership with one of the most innovative companies on the market, Makedonski Telekom. “With this attractive program for career development of young and ambitious people who study technology, marketing, digital sciences and who dream to face the challenges arising from these topics, Telecom makes positive changes in many segments of society, especially in the labour market, where the demand for this type of specific skills is high and the supply is low or non-existent”, says the Chief Human Resources Officer of Makedonski Telekom, Stavros Georgakopoulos, in this interview.

1. What are the key points (the story) behind Smart Start?
We live in a very dynamic world that changes on a daily basis in almost all areas. It is a world where knowledge becomes obsolete very fast and where we face big challenges seeking new solutions which sometimes go beyond what we know and practice. I believe that such solutions can be found by people who are not burdened with the past, who live in the present and are ambitious about the future. Those are the young people – students. On the other hand, Makedonski Telekom is a company that takes exceptional care about the future, fully dedicated to its employees and its strategic commitment is to continue to create initiatives for development of the employees and thus the entire organization. One of those initiatives is Smart Start - programme aimed at attracting new, young talents to join us and become significant part of the focus of the company – and that is the digital transformation. The programme is intended for students from 7 different faculties in the country who are curious to dive deeper into the sphere of their studies and through which they can learn from the best experts in technology, network, marketing area...and of course be part of the team who creates the digital future in the country. With Smart Start we give the students an opportunity to work on 11 unique projects and gain practical experience which is really demanded and needed in the labour market. I believe that the students who will join us through the Smart Start programme will bring new energy, enthusiasm and authenticity; features which are one of the basic principles of every successful and innovative company.

2. What makes this programme interesting and attractive for the students?
We offer a unique and completely different opportunity. We have created a concept wherein we considered the needs of the students and the business. We went back to the time when we were students, we conducted market research which showed us what the students need and we created a project that we believe is attractive from multiple aspects. First of all, we created and offered existing projects with specific activities for students to work on and learn from. This does not only imply an internship through which they will acquire general knowledge of the processes, but this is a professional development in a specific area through practical work on specific project. From day one the students will be introduced with to team, the mentor who will support and guide them through work, as well as the project details they will start to work on. Of course, the students will also undergo training in order to better fit in the way of work in a large corporation such as ours. As part of this programme, students will enjoy all benefits provided to the employees of Makedonski Telekom. This means that they will have access to our learning platforms Percipio and Cursera which offer over 200 lectures from the best universities. The students will work in international environment and acquire contacts which will help them in the future. They will have at their disposal our top experts from which they will learn much more than from any book. The experience they will gain here in Makedonski Telekom will be of great importance for their future and fantastic start of their professional career.

3. The projects offered with this programme span from business to technology. Why these specific areas?
Yes, those are the areas that move us forward, which keep up the pace with the latest trends and create the digital future. We must think about what happens tomorrow, about the future needs of our customers and the necessary skills our employees should possess in the future. The world we live in changes rapidly on a daily basis and projects in these areas take us step toward in such changes. Our superior role on the market allows us to make a change in the society on our way to the digitalization and education of young people. The purpose of this programme is to gather in one place the creative potential of students from our country from the relevant areas, interests and fields of action and to give them a chance and space for their realization.

4. What would a day at Telecom look like for the students?
A day filled with surprises, pleasant and desired, a day that ends with a smile. I believe that I would have told you a completely different story about their day if we were not in the middle of pandemic. I say this out of the reason that the experience of working in a creative environment with colleagues from different areas is completely different from working from home. In the current situation, the health of our employees is most important and therefore all of us work from home, where applicable. The work process continues impeccably and that is expected having in mind the technology as our strength which makes everything functioning perfectly from our home as well. To answer the question, I will say that in one day any of these students will learn many practical things and will perform tasks as each and every one of our employees. Depending on the project they work on, they will have virtual meetings, receive tasks and be in constant communication with their mentor which will guide them through the process.

5. Smart Start also aims higher. What impact will this programme have on society?
The labour market in our country changed a lot throughout the years and will continue to change according to the needs of companies and the development of technologies. We, as digitalization drivers and technological leaders in the region are obliged to transfer our knowledge and experience to the people who still are still studying and upgrading their theoretical knowledge. I believe that with the experience that the students will gain in Makedonski Telekom with the Smart Start programme we will make great change on the labour market, where the demand of such type of skills is high and the offer is low or not there at all. Telekom, as socially responsible company, has direct impact on the educational process of the students via the Smart Start programme, allowing them to gain the best experience. Such examples create professionals and we, as a company, always open our doors and support successful professional stories. I hope that with this project we will give different perspective, new space for upgrade, development and teamwork of young people in order to see a different way of creating a future for the Macedonian society.. Let us encourage them to offer solutions and their visions in this dynamic world which will be of use not only for the country but also for the regional and beyond, since we live in a world in which the global became local. Young people – students will change the world, Makedonski Telekom is here to show them the way.

Interview

{{Title}}