PROJECT "SUMMER PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE" WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESSMEN ZREPOK
The "Summer Internship" project resulted from the signed Cooperation Agreement In 2010, between the Zrenjanin Business Circle (ZREPOK) and the Technical Faculty "Mihajlo Pupin" in Zrenjanin.
The establishment of cooperation was initiated in 2010 by the association ZREPOK, inspired by a previously unrecorded result in the history of the competition of students from Serbia, which was achieved by the students of the Faculty of Zrenjan by winning second place at the prestigious competition Microsoft Imagine Cup 2010, which was held in Poland in the category of software design. After the signing of the Agreement, ten years of impeccable cooperation between these two entities followed, which was most evident in the realization of the Summer Professional Internship project, through which more than 180 students have passed so far. The continuation of cooperation was confirmed by the renewal of the Agreement signed in 2020 by the then president of ZREPOK, Mr. Budimir Jovanović, and the then dean, Prof. Dr. Dragica Radosav. One of the important actors in this cooperation is the UNION OF EMPLOYERS OF SERBIA - EMPLOYERS OF ZRENJANINA, as a direct link between the faculty and the economy.
The basic idea of this project is to enable the students of the Faculty of Zrenjan to acquire practical knowledge and skills in the real business sector in order to enable them to find employment more easily after graduation and get involved in work processes more quickly. On the other hand, Zrenjanin companies are given an advantage in recognizing and selecting the best students in order to stay in the environment from which they emerged and contribute to its development. According to the deep conviction of the person responsible for the implementation of the project, all this will contribute to the creation of better conditions for young people from Zrenjan who want to stay in their hometown, where they can get the opportunity of quality education. In addition, graduates from all over Serbia will be more motivated to choose Zrenjanin to continue their education and obtain a high-quality and recognized diploma, which can contribute to the popularization of Zrenjanin as a desirable place to live, work and study. We would like to thank all the students participating in the practice who, with their voluntary participation, "revived" the idea of ZREPOK and the Faculty, and made this pioneering venture in the Republic of Serbia recognized as an example of good practice and a unique Zrenjanin brand that both the initiators of the project and all its participants can be proud of. The success of the project was also influenced by the strong support and partnership of the city of Zrenjanin and the National Service
During the celebration of 10 years of existence of the Zrenjanin business circle ZREPOK, the Technical Faculty "Mihajlo Pupin" was presented with a certificate of appreciation for ten years of successful cooperation.
The goals of this project are:
- Creating conditions for good business cooperation between the Faculty on the one hand and businessmen and entrepreneurs gathered and represented by ZREPOK on the other hand.
- Improving success in realizing one's own visions through the exchange of knowledge and experiences.
- Realization of the possibility of pointing businessmen to the necessary development of additional skills of personnel that are necessary for the economy of Zrenjanin.
- Providing the opportunity for young, highly educated people to acquire practical knowledge before completing their studies, and to gain employment through work and proof.
- Providing financial support to the best students of the Technical Faculty "Mihajlo Pupin" to continue their education and training in Zrenjanin.
- Strengthening the importance of the Zrenjanin Faculty and the motivation of young and quality people from all over Serbia to study at the Technical Faculty "Mihajlo Pupin".
- Creating better conditions for young people from Zrenjan who want to stay in their hometown and get a quality education there.
- Popularization of Zrenjanin as a desirable place to live, study and acquire high and quality education.
On the initiative of businessmen from Zrenjanin, after three years from the start of the project implementation, and with the support of the National Employment Service - Zrenjanin branch, the city of Zrenjanin joined the "Summer professional practice" project. The cooperation agreement between the City of Zrenjanin and the Technical Faculty "Mihajlo Pupin" was signed in 2013. Based on this agreement, the local self-government also financially supported the implementation of the "Summer professional practice" program, with a donation that is paid to every student who successfully completes the project.
The friends of the project are the National Employment Service, media outlets, and all media operating in the territory of the city of Zrenjanin, namely: RTV Santos, KTV Zrenjanin, List Zrenjanin, "IloveZr" and "Zrenjaninski" portals. Through their promotion, the action gained public importance and a general social feature.
The expected effects of the project, which were foreseen at the very beginning, are: Raising the reputation of ZREPOK and its member companies as socially responsible associations, organizations and collectives that show concern and make a concrete contribution to improving the work of educational institutions and increasing their importance in the social and economic life of the city of Zrenjanin and the Central Banat District. Promoting education and knowledge as basic prerequisites for any success and progress of the environment in which project participants operate. Strengthening the reputation of the Faculty of Zrenjanin, encouraging young people from Zrenjanin to stay in their city after completing high school education and attracting graduates from other areas of our country, which should lead to the popularization of Zrenjanin as a desirable place to live, work, study and acquire quality higher education.