For Stanislav Jirák his own enthusiasm was the best education in the IT field.

Stanislav Jirák already knew at university that he wanted to focus on a field that is more dynamic than the one he studied (FEEC BUT). He was attracted to work, which only needed a laptop. At that time, he was very attracted to data science, working with data in general and infrastructure, which had been developing rapidly with the field. He left his job as a PCB Designer (printed circuit board designer), which he performed during his studies and took up the position of BI Developer and then DWH Developer (data warehouse developer), where he already performed tasks related to Machine Learning.

Standa, what education do you need for your work?

As for the best education, I would rather mention my own enthusiasm, interest and willingness to invest a lot of time and work in myself, because schools are always at least 5 years behind the current trends in the field. At the time when I started to be interested in Data Science and everything connected with it, there was no school in the Czech Republic with this field. Fortunately, courses and educational materials from the world's best universities and industry leaders exist and are available today. To me a great support were courses from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Stanford University, by Andrew Ng (founder of Google Brain, DeepLearning.AI, Chief Data Scientist Baidu,...), various courses from Google, which are of an exceptionally high quality and free , from Microsoft, from Courser,... and last but not least, and perhaps above all, work on real projects - whether work related or my own. However, education is not something that can be completed, because this field is developing very quickly and every few years everything is different, so I try to maintain my "edge" by attending various conferences in the Czech Republic and abroad, seminars, meet-ups and I also like to participate in Hackthon (2 wins).

I think it's always important to do the maximum you can - and the rewards in various forms will sooner or later follow.

What are your main traits?

I like to learn new things, which is also necessary in this field. I like to ask new questions and look for answers. I like to create and when I see a sense in something, I tend to work so hard that I sometimes forget everything around me. That's one of my weaknesses I know of. Another is perfectionism, which is something I have been trying to keep within reasonable limits for many years :D.

What led you to the methodology you do?

I think it's always important to do the maximum you can - and the rewards in various forms will sooner or later follow. At the beginning of any project, it is extremely important to do initial research. Make sure that everyone fully understands the technical and business solution, understands all the potential benefits and risks, and has the space to express their opinion. When something is not clearly communicated or is hidden "under the table", it can jeopardize the whole project beforehand - and this would be a great pity, because an optimal way always exists and it is possible to find a solution that suits everyone.

Without which soft skills you can't get by at your work?

Definitely the ability to listen, to find out where the problem is and help others to make the right decision. Communication is really the basis of everything. Then the right prioritization, time-management and, last but not least, the art of thinking about yourself.

If you are going through hell, keep going. - W. Churchill

Where did the road to TIP IT Solutions lead?

Before covid I originally took steps to set up my own start-up, but in March 2020, when the global lockdown occurred, I lost a lot of money and again started looking for a new job. At the time, most companies had a stop-hiring status, but my professional profile apparently seemed attractive enough to impress TIP IT Solutions. I remember having an initial technical screening with the technical director Tomáš Topinka, which was very thorough. Then I completed an interview at Česká spořitelna, where they were very satisfied with the results of the onboarding process and then also with my work.

What work experience did you gain thanks to TIP IT Solutions?

Thanks to a working project from TIP IT Solutions, I had the opportunity to gain more experience from the "business" side of the technical project, try the cooperation and coordination of several departments at the same time and "touch" several different new technologies. As the biggest benefit, however, I consider the opportunity to gain methodological experience and experience of working with people.

How satisfied are you with the TIP IT team over time?

I would like to say that the Sales Manager from TIP IT Solutions has been in constant contact with me throughout our cooperation. Whatever happens in my current work assignment (e.g. a decrease in real utilization, a project getting stuck in another part of the bank,...) - TIP IT Solutions is always there to help me with the situation. I have to say that I am completely satisfied with their service support and I think working for a service supplier such as TIP IT Solutions is an ideal form of employment "relationship".

What have you accomplished in recent years? Professionally and personally?

Unfortunately for me, the Covid year 2020 was marked by the loss of something I had been working on for several years. At the same time, however, it was a very valuable lesson. I would like to apply and develop my (basic) experience with blockchain engineering and algorithmic trading later in my life. I also surprisingly met new people and made friends in other parts of the world.

What is your life motto/mottos?

"If you are going through hell, keep going." - W. Churchill
"When something is important enough, you should do it, even when the odds are not in your favor." - Elon Musk