From hobby to profession: one welder's story
Andjel Djordjevic during work-based training with his mentor in Wacker Neuson, Kragujevac.
After undergoing on-the-job training as part of the E2E programme in Serbia, this young man managed to align his passion with his career.
Andjel Djordjevic is trained as a road traffic technician but has never held a job in that profession. The 29-year-old has gotten by doing some joinery jobs in furniture manufacturing until an opportunity for an entirely new career came his way through the Serbian Education to Employment (E2E) programme.
“I used to do some manual welding at home as a hobby. I grew to love it and had no doubt whatsoever when I learned about the E2E programme. I saw in it the opportunity to pick up much more about welding, to become great welder.”
E2E supports companies in Serbia developing and implementing modern work-based trainings for young job-seekers, particularly those who have trouble finding employment. The Wacker Neuson company in Kragujevac partnered with E2E to train 20 youth for the most sought-after profession in the metal industry – welders.
As one of the trainees, Andjel was thrilled to realize at the time that his hobby could become his actual job. Thanks to his strong performance, he was offered a job by Wacker Neuson right after the training.
Through E2E I have decided that I want to have a career in welding. My plan was to use the knowledge and skills acquired at the E2E training to get a job at Wacker at some point. But I am thrilled that I have fulfilled the criteria to stay on and work in this company. Welders are in high demand and very well paid in our country. If you work hard, you can earn well.
Thanks to E2E, I am well on my way to succeeding in a job that provides security to me and my family.
Andjel Djordjevic, former trainee and current employee of Wacker Neuson, Serbia.
“Welding is a hard job and, considering the high temperature levels, working conditions can be tough but I love this job. I find it interesting and creative. I’m continually learning new things. Every weld is like embroidery: one needs to be very precise. This is why you need to have a steady hand and be focused, paying attention at all times.”
After finishing the welder’s training, Anđel sees a better future for his entire family.
“My wife is out of work; we have a two-year old daughter. We were managing somehow but this E2E training was of crucial importance for me. Thanks to E2E, I am well on my way to succeeding in a job that provides security to me and my family. It is an imperative for me as a young man who wants to support his family. In the past, I had jobs but they did not provide such security.”
Get in touch
This story was contributed by:
Sandra Vlatkovic, E2E's Communication officer Sandra.Vlatkovic@ip-consult.de
