Turning a hobby into a career in tech. Meet Jovan.

From the age of 13, Jovan Dordevic knew he had a passion for tech. With the networking skills taught on the Cisco CCNA Course, Jovan managed to climb from Line Technician to Telecommunications Engineer whilst working for Melita. However, the tech-enthusiast didn’t stop there: returning to complete the AWS Cloud Practitioner Course, Jovan steered his career towards his passion for programming, and has just landed a new job as a Full Stack Developer with Gambling.com. This is his story.

Can you tell me a little bit about your career background and your time in Malta?

I came to Malta in 2016 from Serbia, having graduated as an Electrical Technician for Multimedia. At first I was working as a waiter, and it’s kind of a funny story how I started working at Melita. When the technicians came to install our modem and internet I said to myself: I can do this instead! I applied straight away for a job as a Line Technician and ended up working on outside lines and equipment maintenance.

What made you choose the CCNA Course with ICE Malta?

A friend recommended that I take the Cisco CCNA Course with ICE Malta because it could help me transition to a better role in Melita. I had a lot of interest in the subject, so I really loved the learning experience and can’t recommend the teachers enough!

The course gave me the knowledge and practical training in network administration, routing protocols, and server technologies I needed in telecommunications. Thanks to the course, I was actually promoted to Junior Telecommunications Engineer and became responsible for broadband equipment in the data centre, including the planning and testing of future upgrades.

What inspired you to redirect your career towards programming?

I’ve been interested in programming and coding since I was young and taught myself a lot of things independently. Programming is very satisfying and there is a special feeling when you write some code and see a whole app being born in front of you!

While I was at Melita, my managers knew I always had a passion for programming, so they let me develop a monitoring platform for internal use that could help engineers and technicians out in the field to review and repair equipment. Meanwhile, I was building some websites for local businesses – I found these projects really rewarding, so I decided it was time to look for a new challenge.

What made you return to ICE Malta?

I returned to ICE Malta because I had so much fun the first time! This time I took the AWS Cloud Practitioner Course, which gave me experience in cloud infrastructure and coding. Gaining industry accreditation supported my move towards programming and added to my existing skills, allowing me to get a job as a Full Stack Developer.

This was amazing – my hobby became my full-time day-to-day job, and everyday I was learning so much about the things I love!

Congratulations on your new role with Gambling.com! What are you enjoying about your current work?

I’m excited to keep learning new things and growing my knowledge as a Full Stack Developer. Building a platform and knowing that it’s being used by thousands or even millions of users feels amazing!

What advice would you give to someone who has a hobby they’d like to make a career?

I always say whatever it is, go for it. When you love what you do you will never work a day in your life..

You don’t have to be a programmer to appreciate Jovan’s story! His enthusiasm for practical learning helped him progress in his career, transition between industries, and unlock his dream job. We’re so excited to see where Jovan’s journey will take him next and wish him much happiness along the way.

 


I returned to ICE Malta because I had so much fun the first time! I loved the course material so for me, learning was effortless.

JOVAN DORDEVICFull Stack Developer