Modern technologies turn the world into a big playground of modern engineering, and to be a part of this “game” is priceless, stated Marko Mijić, a new Member of the Elnos Group Board Member for Technical Affairs. In the past ten years, Mijić has become one of key people in the company. He shared a story on love for profession, biggest successes, obstacles and personal challenges with us.
When you started working for Elnos Group ten years ago, what was your vision of your future? Does it remind of what you are living nowadays?
I remember that the time of completing the faculty was also a period of big decisions for me at the same time. I was faced with short, yet difficult question – should I stay or should I go? Namely, during studies, I actively participated in research teams in TU Ilmenau in Germany, which provided me with possibility to go for postgraduate studies abroad. In that moment, that was a very attractive offer. However, due to strong feeling of connection and responsibility to the environment I was born and grew up in, I decided to build future in the country I was born in. So, after I completed Faculty of Electrical Engineering, recommended by the Head of Department, in 2011 I started working in Elnos Group. Just like many young engineers, I entered the company with a lot of theoretical knowledge and enthusiasm. In future, I saw myself as an expert understanding key phenomena and technologies as well as the one taking part in planning and building modern electrical power facilities through scientific work. Future faced me with a wide spectrum of priorities, so that my work also deviated from dealing with my profession primarily. Number of teams, which I became responsible for in time, grew and focus of my work was directed to creating preconditions these teams should acquire maximum improvement and results. Today, I can say the vision from the beginning working days reminds me of what I am living, and this is planning a big system participating in development, creating solutions, construction and exploitation of electrical power facilities.
What were circumstances you learned the most from so far and what was the thing you were most looking for in your career in Elnos?
One is sure: you learn the most working on the projects where Investor, Engineer and Contractor put quality in the first place and even in the setting up project itself, they provide preconditions for such a performance. Those are projects where finding optimal solutions and perfect planning become the most important part of their lifecycle. Biggest joy in work lies in the moment when, after a lot of joint effort invested, I see a complex facility providing all demanded features.
So far you have performed a series of successful projects on professional map. What project challenge has a special importance for you and why?
There is a wide spectrum of projects carrying a series of challenges on plan of time schedule, logistics, scope of resources, challenging and specific markets behind me and people I used to work with. For me, biggest challenge and significance were projects in which we had been leaders of development, selection of series of solutions and final characteristics of the facility. First facility of such a type, that I was responsible for, was construction of MHPP Bočac 2, where two generators of total power amounting to 10 MW had been installed. It was an endeavor when we performed very complex works of mechanical and electrical phase. Although planning of each following “turn-key” project was similar challenge, MHPP Bočac 2, being the first in a series of bigger challenges, was the most impressive for me.
In your opinion, what are the most important elements that, in perspective, could be important for development of company’s business operations in future?
Considering the fact there is an appropriate space for that at the market, I believe the most important point of further development are human capacities and knowledge, which we own as a company as well as our readiness to apply them. Management is facing a challenge to provide appropriate conditions, organizational bases and optimal directions in the aim to preserve aforementioned capacities, to develop them further, to provide quality and continue strengthening our position at the market. Biggest challenge the Elnos Group is facing is preservation of quality with expansion we are currently at. Now, we plan timely preparation for future, which demands more profiling in all sectors.
Digitalization defines development of electrical power in future. Is it one of the most significant challenges we, as a company, are facing?
In the past years, electrical power field, in difference to previous ones, goes through a big transition. Initiators of this transition are not only global politics and consumers’ wishes, but primarily modern technologies opening numerous possibilities. New trends mostly reflect in growing number of ways to produce power in places where this was not possible before, as well as in new ways of its storage and efficiency growth in processes of production, distribution and consumption of energy. Nowadays, these processes can be performed digitally in a bigger measure, i.e. faster, more efficiently and by using optimization possibilities through IoT, Big Data, AI and other technologies. I see Elnos Group as a company that would recognize and apply changes as well as to maintain leader’s position in the field of electrical power through more participation in development and realization of new projects along with application of new technologies. Digitalization is one of the most important trends of future electrical power. It is a carrier of huge possibilities, and we need to accept it as it is and use it as much as possible
Elnos Group is an example of a company with national address being recognized by each step forward to European markets. What is the most significant for such a success?
As a company, we proved that step forward to some of the most demanding European energy markets is possible. In order to make such steps forward, we need to invest in a lot in knowledge, staff, modern mechanization and modern technologies. Apart from this, we need to have persistence and decisiveness in order to put quality of business operations and company organization on a higher level. It is also important to mention that we, as a company, did not follow competition in our work, but we set high criteria for ourselves on daily basis. Unfortunately, national companies rarely manage to make more significant step forward to international markets and we hope that we shall encourage them to make their steps by our example.
What do you think is crucial for building successful career? What is your personal moto?
I believe that successful career is driven by passion for new knowledge and overcoming challenges. Such a wish carries devotion for whole-life learning, discipline and continuous work. We need to have a strong focus on the right values and be true to them even if market and environment sometimes devaluate them, which demands a lot of persistence. In career development, it is important to be in healthy social environment, where there is a continuous wish to make today a better tomorrow, and that each of us is aware of one’s role on this road through insisting on values of integrity, fairness, honesty, trust, teamwork, quality, continuous learning, improvement and, finally, our positive purpose.
What is most beautiful in engineering work?
Most beautiful part of engineering work is 27 overcoming challenges on the way to understanding overcoming natural phenomena. Curiosity and sense of purpose, which drive us on daily basis, give a special beauty to our work. Modern technologies turn the world into a big playground of modern engineering, and to be a part of this game is priceless.
Do you see yourself in work more as individual or a team player?
I did karate for years, as an individual sport, and I achieved excellent individual results in the sport as well as in school during my education. However, when talking about business, I see myself as a team player. I enjoy in brainstorming opinion and ideas and always am supporting differences and different approaches. I like to share knowledge and be a witness of small and big victories of my associates. I am always eager to work with motivated teams and positive team energy exactly is the reason for a big number of demanding projects, which we gladly remember.
Career
Mijić joined the company in order to work on development and research of RES projects. After the initial period, he started realization of a series of projects in the field of industry, infrastructure, substations and hydro-power plants. In time, acquiring new knowledge and experience, he was getting a series of responsibilities: first at the position of Head of the team for Elnos BL power plants, then deputy of DOO, later as Elnos BL DOO and finally as a Member of the Management Board of the Elnos Group.
