The demand for junior-level skills is decreasing, but not the demand for young engineers

This was one of the key messages of the expert forum From Fundamental Knowledge to the Career of the Future, held at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER), which brought together representatives of academia, industry and human resources professionals to discuss the career development of young engineers in the era of artificial intelligence.

The Dean of FER, Prof. Vedran Bilas, PhD, emphasized that strong fundamental knowledge remains a lasting foundation of technological excellence and that artificial intelligence should serve as a tool for developing human potential, not a substitute for knowledge and experience.

AI is changing the way we work and accelerating market transformation, but fundamental knowledge, critical thinking and the ability to learn and cooperate remain irreplaceable. The demand for engineers will not disappear, but their roles and ways of working will continue to evolve.

The panel discussion featured Siniša Krajnović, PhD, President of the Management Board of Ericsson Nikola Tesla, Daniel Lenardić, PhD, Partner for Advisory Services at KPMG, Prof. Zvonimir Galić, PhD, from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Veseljka Lovrić, PhD, Head of the People and Organizational Development at FER, Prof. Tomislav Jagušt, PhD, and young FER engineer Toni Ivanković.

Highlighting the importance of investing in young professionals, Siniša Krajnović stated:

“The need for engineers will continue to exist, they will simply work differently. That is why we continue to hire young engineers, as they are our future top experts.”

At Ericsson Nikola Tesla, we continue to invest in young talent, mentoring and the development of the competencies needed to address increasingly complex technological challenges.