It is incredible to have the chance to create opportunities for young people and watch them develop immensely quickly, and successfully.
Eldina Džakmić and Sanin Solak have been a part of Walter AEC since October of 2020, and the part that we believe certainly deserves recognition is their praise-worthy development, within such a short time. Both of them have been at Walter AEC for a similar amount of time, and they were faculty colleagues, as well, so it will be interesting to see both of them sharing their experiences and their opinions.
But let’s not get carried away here, let’s go back to the start of their journey!
How did you start your collaboration with Walter AEC?
Eldina:
Before joining Walter AEC, I was a student at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Sarajevo. In fact, I’m still studying and I’m in my final year of master’s studies.
Last year, in March, was my first contact with Walter AEC. Industrial practice, as a mandatory subject at the faculty, had me assigned to Walter. Unfortunately,
I’ve only spent two days at the office before the pandemic safety measures were enforced and we began remote work. At first, I thought that my practice was over since everything
stopped, but I made sure to make the effort to do the assigned project at home, closely consulting my mentor, Zerina Durić, during that time.
In September, I went to the office again to get a certificate of internship, and there I get the opportunity to talk to Ladislav and Elma. I was asked if I was interested in intensive training from Revit, and if I successfully completed it I would be offered to stay to work at Walter.
I was genuinely surprised and thrilled to learn that they create opportunities for young people, without experience, and even though I wasn’t actively searching for a job at that time (due to faculty obligations) I decided to give it a go!
Since they kindly offered me the opportunity to invite others to the training, I’ve decided to invite Sanin whom I haven’t known personally, but he had been sending me materials for faculty, so I thought it would be a great way of thanking him, and I’ve forwarded the information. We both successfully finished the course, and now we’re working together!
Sanin:
At the end of 2020. I’ve obtained a master’s degree at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Sarajevo, in the department of Mechanical Constructions.
After sending inquiries about work to several places, I have accepted the opportunity given to me by Walter AEC, and I’ve been a part of the team for 10 months so far!
During my job hunt, I found out from a friend that my colleague Eldina was doing her internship at Walter AEC, and that there were multiple opportunities open at the time, so I immediately applied. Then, I received an invitation for a 14-hour training, after which we scheduled a test, which I’ve successfully completed and was invited to the job interview!
So, two faculty colleagues, friends, and like-minded people stumbled upon quite a similar path. From what we’ve gathered, they’ve helped each other throughout the journey, offering their support, resources, and friendship for mutual benefits!
What positively surprised you at Walter AEC?
Eldina:
I must repeat myself and say that I’m thrilled to know that Walter creates opportunities for young people who don’t even have a day of work experience. That is, in the end, the way that I started my path, but apart from that we constantly receive new possibilities in regards to further education and development, Walter AEC really does invest in their people.
In less than a year of being a part of the team, I have obtained 3 certifications. Two of them are related to the courses I’ve passed within the Walter Academy (Revit Family Editor & Revit Architecture Advanced). The third one is the Revit MEP Professional Certification, which was the most difficult one to pass, but I would have never been able to understand that all of that was possible in such a short time without being given the opportunity.
Apart from that I really value the fact that I’ve been accepted by all my colleagues, they were all very friendly and I truly felt like a part of the collective. That was one of the basic reasons for me to feel like I want to be there, work with those people, and further better myself.
Sanin:
First of all, Walter AEC has offered me a chance to prove myself, even without prior work experience, which I find to be incredibly relevant for each young person at the end of their studies. Also, the company offers a lot of room for professional development – they tutor and educate their employees further.
Since I came to this company, I’ve already successfully finished two courses of the Walter Academy, and have passed the Revit MEP Certified Professional test, which I find incredibly valuable for my personal career development. I really value the fact that Walter AEC pushes its employees towards improvement and perfection.
It really is quite impressive to hear your initial achievements and successes. It seems like our efforts to make sure that our employees are well aware of the possibilities we offer. We take this chance to congratulate you on your accomplishments!
Which skills did you find most challenging to overcome, and which new skills are you most proud of?
Eldina:
Truth be told, everything was challenging at first, as I was facing tasks and projects that I had never worked on before. The projects that we were assigned to me seemed incredibly difficult, due to the fact that I hadn’t used Revit before, and I wasn’t fully understanding of the client’s requests.
However, I’ve gotten hold of Revit quite quickly, thanks to the help of colleagues who were very keen to help, and thanks to the courses that I’ve mentioned earlier. In essence, the most challenging part was understanding the requirements of clients, and understanding “what” exactly is needed on the project. It’s something that can’t really be learned overnight, only through practice and experience gathered with time.
Regarding the skill that I’m most proud of, I would definitely say that is mastering Revit as one of the BIM Technologies that I’ve met for the first time, as I’ve started from zero and managed to become an Autodesk Revit Certified Professional, in 10 months! Of course, I’m still learning and eager to grow further!
Sanin:
As the biggest challenge to overcome I’d like to mention the transition from the faculty level, to a business one. The severity of project tasks at the university can not be compared with the seriousness of projects at work. Nowadays, it’s incredibly important to pay attention to details, during the product development process, as well as administrative data. Entry of parameters, various links, data related to manufacturer, etc.
I’m most proud of my development in working with Revit, besides which I really found myself to be quite “resourceful” and quick to perform tasks. Projects that, at first, seemed complex and difficult have only become an introduction to more serious challenges and severe assignments which I find to be the only proof of the development that I’ve achieved.
Well, as we all know, beginnings are difficult, and when you find yourself facing a problem, a task, that you haven’t learned about before – we understand why it might be a challenge. You’ve mentioned that faculty education simply doesn’t prepare you for the requirements of the market, as a lot of the knowledge you obtain through faculty education is outdated at this point. That is one of the reasons we offer continuing education through Walter Academy. We need skills that people simply don’t get the chance to learn through faculty, and we deal with it by offering it ourselves!
Yes, it helps to have individuals like yourselves, eager to learn and open to new challenges.
What is the best career lesson you would like to share with others?
Eldina:
Well, the greatest lesson in my career so far is that we mustn’t be focused only on one field, on one profession. My advice to young people is to research what is trending, what is required on the market, and to pivot towards that. We live in a time where it’s necessary to constantly adapt and push our boundaries in order to successfully overcome the challenges that face us.
Work and the desire to acquire new knowledge must be our guiding thought throughout our careers.
Sanin:
A lot of students believe that, after finishing their education, their further learning and development stops. However, faculty is just one step towards success. People who aim for success need to be ready to work and learn hard outside the framework of their faculty education. The diploma should be the end of your development.
Well, we truly agree with our interviewees about this one. Faculty education is a foundation for your further development, it’s going to give you the essential knowledge of how task management, decision making, and the basic theory of how your subjects work. But you won’t be fully prepared for the needs of the market. You will have to step out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself throughout your career, as it’s the only way to improve yourself.
Having in mind your performance and what you accomplished in just 10 months, what can we expect in the future?
Eldina:
My plans for the future are closely aligned with Walter Code. I want to perfect myself for the job that I’m currently doing and constantly work and aim forward. I’m focused on improving my skills so that I can help and bring value to the company, as well as aid the company in success and development. I’d like for both Walter and myself to grow together!
Sanin Solak
Sanin:
I’m currently focused on furthering my career, so I plan to continue with personal development in the near future, by constantly evolving and working on new skills, both in Revit and in other software. I aim to broaden my horizons, and knowledge, to other branches of engineering. I do have to say that it’s important to be ready to pivot through your career, as you may find yourself having more success in other areas of work than the ones that you are currently focusing on.
Lastly, if you could have one superpower/be a superhero, which would it be?
Eldina:
If I had to choose one superpower, I would choose the ability to never have to sleep. I would then use the time that I’d normally spend sleeping on other activities, such as learning, work, fun, or anything else. 😀
Sanin:
If I had to choose between all existing superheroes, I would choose Batman. I like how he relies on skills and uses a lot of gadgets (from the movie trilogy by Cristopher Nolan), and I’m not really a big fan of the Marvel Universe :). However, if I had to choose a superpower unrelated to comic book/movie heroes, that would definitely be the power to read other people’s thoughts!
Dear Eldina and Sanin,
The idea to interview you about your career path came to be when we spotted your hard work as well as the effort you put into bettering yourself. Walter AEC is all about breaking boundaries, and you turned out to be an extension of our ideals.
Thank you for your dedication, and we wish you even more success in the time to come!
