03.02.2021.

Recipients of MoD scholarships get jobs at the Military Technical Institute

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Nebojša Stefanović, PhD, presented today employment contracts to seven MoD scholarship recipients, who will be employed at the Military Technical Institute. Stefanović said he was glad that those young people were getting jobs in their professional field and that their knowledge and work would help armed forces become even stronger and more efficient.

- Our intention is to strengthen the Military Technical Institute and for this renowned institution to receive the attention it deserves. Unfortunately, this institution, which once had up to 1,400 employees, currently has a modest number of employees due to workforce reduction in the previous decades. That is why we will work hard on increasing the number of employees, as well as increasing their salaries and continue with the payment of financial incentives, and thus show that these people’s knowledge and work are highly appreciated - said Stefanović.

He pointed out that by employing the first MoD scholarship recipients in this institution, the state showed that it was committed to helping young people find jobs in their country and that it appreciated their knowledge.

- Hiring these people is just the beginning. We are planning to employ about 80 more young people in the next 30 days, and we hope that there will be a total of 150 of them by the end of the year, which will provide the Institute with a significant reinforcement - Minister Stefanović emphasized.

Speaking about the young people’sfuture at the Military Technical Institute, the Minister of Defence noted that the people who had worked, for example, on the M-84 tank development project, had managed to get about 250,000 dinars in annual financial incentives, in addition to salary, thanks to their knowledge and hard work.

- This shows that knowledge and work are appreciated, but we want these young researchers who are just joining the MoD’s most elite institution, which develops new weapons and equipment, and their more experienced colleagues, to feel the strong support of this ministry and their country, and this support will be visible this year and in the coming years - said Minister Stefanović.

One of the seven scholarship recipients who got a job today is Milan Vučković, who will be employed as a researcher at the Military Technical Institute. He majored in military industrial engineering, a joint course at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac and the Military Academy, University of Defence in Belgrade. He feels honoured to have completed his studies on time and to have met the requirements to receive a scholarship from the Ministry of Defence.

- The Military Technical Institute is giving me the opportunity to continue to develop professionally. I am currently studying for a PhD at the Faculty of Engineering in Kragujevac, majoring in mechanical engineering, and the Military Technical Institute will give me the opportunity to continue my education in my professional field - said Vučković.

Marijana Stalević, who has also received an employment contract today, majored in military industrial engineering and, like her colleague Vučković, is currently doing her PhD studies at the Faculty of Engineering in Kragujevac. She points out that she has always wanted to work at the Military Technical Institute, and adds that she is extremely glad that she and her fellow students got the opportunity to develop professionally together in that renowned military institution.

The Military Technical Institute is an institution that has been building its identity for more than six decades, not only in Serbia but also abroad. Established back in 1948, the Military Technical Institute has developed and putinto operation about 1,300 different weapons and pieces of military equipment in the Serbian Armed Forces.