“The best mentors show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.”
This quote made its way through the depths of the internet to the author of this text and stuck—it resonates because it captures the essence of mentorship: guiding others while encouraging independent thinking and personal discovery.
At Levi9, we see mentorship in the same way—as an opportunity to provide guidance, open new doors, and support our colleagues in finding their own path. For us, mentorship is not just knowledge exchange; it’s about connection, mutual support, and growing together. This year, we wrapped up another chapter of our mentorship program—and while we feel a tinge of sadness that it’s over, we are proud of everything we achieved together.
Mentorship is a unique, interactive relationship that involves sharing knowledge, perspectives, and experiences between a mentor and their mentee. Through this relationship, mentees are encouraged to grow professionally and personally, develop autonomy in achieving their goals, and benefit from the mentor’s guidance and feedback.
The main goal of our mentorship program was to strengthen a culture of knowledge sharing and mutual support, while providing a structured opportunity for personal and professional development. L&D Partners within our Talent teams coordinated the program across two Levi9 Delivery Centers during the first half of 2025. Aleksandra Štrbac, Nikolina Romakov, and Sanja Peršić shared their insights and reflections.
“We wanted to create a space for sharing experiences, developing both technical and social skills, and strengthening connections across teams and Levi9 locations. Given the number of participants, the level of engagement, and the quality of feedback, we can confidently say our goals were largely achieved. Many participants highlighted that the program gave them new perspectives, motivation, and concrete steps for their further development.”
MentorMatch – our internal learning matchmaker
This year, we also introduced a new player that enhanced the experience for participants: our internal MentorMatch app. Developed jointly by our Development and Talent teams, it supports a simple idea—an intuitive platform that connects mentors and mentees based on topics, skills, and goals.
“The app made the entire process significantly easier—from registration and pairing to tracking progress and gathering feedback. It’s also a great example of how internal development can directly contribute to a learning culture within the company.”
How we select mentors and mentees
In line with our culture of autonomy and empowerment, mentors apply voluntarily. They indicate the areas in which they have experience and wish to support others, then participate in preparatory workshops focused on active listening, goal setting, and progress tracking.
Mentees apply based on their interests and development focus, without formal restrictions—but with the clear responsibility to identify and define their own goals. Communication throughout the program was open and ongoing, with both mentors and mentees.
“We provided different types of support: suggested meeting structures, goal-setting tools, and the option to reach out if challenges arose. Maintaining a sense of safety and trust was particularly important to us.”
Data and AI — the most sought-after topics of the year
This year, the highest demand was in Data Engineering and Artificial Intelligence (AI), reflecting the strategic importance of these areas for building competencies within the company. There were also mentees focused on People Skills, including presales, negotiation, presentation and storytelling skills, coaching, and various communication topics.
We are especially proud when newly acquired knowledge is quickly applied in practice. One example is Dunja Maksimović from Belgrade, who was mentored in Data Analytics. Shortly after the program, she started her first commercial data project. Dunja noted that the mentorship program greatly supported her preparation for this new challenge.
For program coordinators, moments like these are the clearest confirmation of the value of mentorship, showing its direct impact on employee development and business outcomes.
Final events in Belgrade and Novi Sad provided an opportunity for participants to come together and celebrate the completion of their mentorship journey. A symbolic gift marked growth and development, reminding everyone that this journey continues even after the formal cycle ends.
“Our vision is for mentorship to become part of everyday work at Levi9, further strengthening a culture of knowledge sharing and support. We believe this is one of the most sustainable ways for us to grow together,” the three L&D Partners agree.
In this article:
