{"id":8094,"date":"2026-09-04T18:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T16:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/?p=8094"},"modified":"2026-09-04T18:55:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T16:55:41","slug":"sita-and-arc-launch-free-ai-bootcamp-for-young-it-talent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/news\/2026\/09\/sita-and-arc-launch-free-ai-bootcamp-for-young-it-talent\/","title":{"rendered":"SITA and ARC Launch Free AI Bootcamp for Young IT Talent!"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>SITA and American Resource Center Officially Launch Free AI Bootcamp: Bridging the Gap Between Academia and IT Industry Needs<\/h1>\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-123\" data-path-to-node=\"7\"><span data-path-to-node=\"7,0\">The Serbian IT Association (SITA), in collaboration with the American Resource Center (ARC) and supported by the U.S. Embassy, has officially opened its doors to the first cohort of <b data-path-to-node=\"7,0\" data-index-in-node=\"182\">AI Bootcamp<\/b> participants<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"7,2\">. This pilot project represents a concrete, systemic response from SITA to a long-standing challenge facing the domestic IT industry: the gap between theoretical knowledge acquired at universities and the practical skills required by real-world projects<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"7,4\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-path-to-node=\"8\"><span data-path-to-node=\"8,0\">As an umbrella organization representing <b data-path-to-node=\"8,0\" data-index-in-node=\"41\">45 leading IT companies in Serbia, employing 11,000 professionals and generating \u20ac1.4 billion in annual revenue<\/b>, SITA recognized the need to take the initiative<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"8,2\">. Instead of member companies independently investing resources over several months into internal junior onboarding or relying on expensive external courses, SITA has created a free, high-quality educational program tailored for the next generation of IT talent<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"8,4\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"9\"><b data-path-to-node=\"9\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Instructors from Leading SITA Companies at the Forefront of Training<\/b><\/h3>\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-125\" data-path-to-node=\"10\"><span data-path-to-node=\"10,0\">The level and quality of the Bootcamp are ensured by senior engineers and experts from member companies and global IT giants operating in our market &#8211; <b data-path-to-node=\"10,0\" data-index-in-node=\"149\">EPAM Systems<\/b> and <b data-path-to-node=\"10,0\" data-index-in-node=\"166\">Endava<\/b><\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"10,2\">. Through intensive work with mentors, participants will directly acquire practical, industry-applicable artificial intelligence knowledge by working on real-world projects<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"10,4\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_8095\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8095\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8095 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Mihajlo-Postic-1-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Mihajlo Po\u0161ti\u0107, Chairman of the Board of SITA and Director at JetBrains\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Mihajlo-Postic-1-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Mihajlo-Postic-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Mihajlo-Postic-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Mihajlo-Postic-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Mihajlo-Postic-1.jpg 1601w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8095\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mihajlo Po\u0161ti\u0107, Chairman of the Board of SITA and Director at JetBrains<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-126\" data-path-to-node=\"11\"><span data-path-to-node=\"11,0\">At the opening ceremony in Belgrade, which brought together members of the IT community, mentors, and participants, Mihajlo Po\u0161ti\u0107, Chairman of the Board of SITA and Director at JetBrains, emphasized that this project is merely the beginning of the association&#8217;s broader vision<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"11,2\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"12\">\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-127\" data-path-to-node=\"12,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"12,0,0\">&#8220;As an association representing 45 IT companies, we have a clear understanding of the challenges our industry faces<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,0,2\">. Young professionals possess immense potential, but today&#8217;s market demands rapid adaptability and immediately applicable skills<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,0,4\">. Instead of leaving graduates to navigate costly training programs on their own, we took the initiative to offer a concrete, systematic solution<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,0,6\">. This AI Bootcamp, realized in cooperation with EPAM and Endava, serves as a pilot project and clear proof that the industry can proactively participate in developing the talent it needs<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,0,8\">. This is only the first in a series of initiatives we plan for the coming period<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"12,0,10\">.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h3 data-path-to-node=\"13\"><b data-path-to-node=\"13\" data-index-in-node=\"0\">Partner Support and Future Vision<\/b><\/h3>\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-128\" data-path-to-node=\"14\"><span data-path-to-node=\"14,0\">The significance of SITA\u2019s strategy was also recognized by the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade, which provided support through the American Resource Center (ARC)<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"14,2\">. ARC supplied resources and space for the program\u2019s execution and the empowerment of young professionals<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"14,4\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-129\" data-path-to-node=\"15\"><span data-path-to-node=\"15,0\">On behalf of the U.S. Embassy, Matthew Andris, Head of the Economic Section, addressed the audience, highlighting the crucial role participants will play in advancing new technologies<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"15,2\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote data-path-to-node=\"16\">\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-130\" data-path-to-node=\"16,0\"><span data-path-to-node=\"16,0,0\">&#8220;In the very near future, artificial intelligence will enable a wide range of new innovations in the physical world: autonomous drones, self-driving cars, robotics, and other inventions for which terminology does not yet exist<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,0,2\">. The nations that lead in the development and adoption of these technologies will be positioned to leap ahead<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,0,4\">. That\u2019s where you come in, it\u2019s going to be up to you to discover how AI can help companies and to explain the benefits of AI to them<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"16,0,6\">.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_8096\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-8096\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-8096 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Metju-Andris-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Matthew Andris, Head of the Economic Section at the U.S. Embassy\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Metju-Andris-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Metju-Andris-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Metju-Andris-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Metju-Andris-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/files\/2026\/09\/Metju-Andris-1.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-8096\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matthew Andris, Head of the Economic Section at the U.S. Embassy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-131\" data-path-to-node=\"17\"><span data-path-to-node=\"17,0\">Following the official remarks, senior instructors from EPAM and Endava presented the bootcamp module by module, outlining the curriculum and practical methodology built around real AI challenges<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"17,2\">. The event concluded with an interactive Q&amp;A session, giving participants first-hand insight into what to expect throughout the training<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"17,4\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p id=\"p-rc_95c4cb9f3ab8223b-132\" data-path-to-node=\"18\"><span data-path-to-node=\"18,0\">The Serbian IT Association continues to actively build a sustainable IT ecosystem, invest in young talent, and create educational models that directly enhance the competitiveness of the domestic economy<\/span><span data-path-to-node=\"18,2\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SITA and American Resource Center Officially Launch Free AI Bootcamp: Bridging the Gap Between Academia and IT Industry Needs The Serbian IT Association (SITA), in collaboration with the American Resource Center (ARC) and supported by the U.S. Embassy, has officially opened its doors to the first cohort of AI Bootcamp participants. This pilot project represents [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":8091,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8094"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8094\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8097,"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8094\/revisions\/8097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sita.org.rs\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}