Meet Sam: a machine learning expert enabling the next generation of technologists

The Earn & Learn program at WiseTech gives high school graduates the opportunity to start a full-time permanent paid role as a software engineer at WiseTech in either Sydney or Melbourne, while completing a university degree.

Behind the scenes, there are dedicated people and teams ensuring the program runs smoothly and individuals access the support and encouragement they need to thrive.

Sam is one of those people. We spoke to him to find out about his experience that shaped his career as a leader within the Education team at WiseTech.

Originally from Belgrade, Serbia, Sam moved to Australia in 2022 and joined WiseTech soon after.

“I love living here, and I definitely see us living here for the long-term,” Sam shares.

Building the Earn & Learn program

After finishing the Rotation Program in his first three months, Technical Lead, Matt Kameron approached Sam about plans to develop a program for high school leavers to launch their career in software engineering at WiseTech while they study at university.

Sam was excited about its potential and soon after he joined a team of software engineers and educators who worked together to turn the idea into a reality – known today as the Earn & Learn program, which welcomed its third cohort earlier this year.

Today, Sam is a Senior Software Engineer, leading a team of engineers building platforms and technical learning content to support Earn & Learn associates as they build their skills and knowledge through the three-year program.

Sam leads the delivery of a three-month onboarding phase at the start of the Earn & Learn program. He also works closely with Earn & Learn associates and their mentors to provide support and encouragement.

“I take care of the technical side - our team builds the platforms, creates content, and manages the backend systems,” Sam shares.

“I also provide ongoing support to both mentors and young people in the program. Having started as a beginner myself and later mentoring others, I understand the challenges they face.”

Nurturing high performers

The Earn & Learn program is intentionally designed to challenge young engineers.

“A lot of people in the program find it hard. But we do not lower the difficulty. We purposefully try to keep the difficulty high, while providing clear structures to help them out as much as possible to reach those heights,” Sam shares.

Sam sees challenge as a necessary part of building both skill and confidence.

“When we give them the support that they need to overcome that difficulty… that’s what really prepares them for working in high-performing teams.”

Amplifying impact through mentorship

While Sam’s background is in machine learning, he’s always been driven by the idea of enabling others to do their best work.

“I care a lot about productivity. I had a moment where I realized I could never do the work of 100 people, but maybe I could help 100 people do their best work. This idea is something I keep in front of mind. I feel like I’m making a much bigger impact by enabling others,” he shares.

Sam believes mentoring is leadership in practice – on a smaller scale but based on the same principles.

“As Zubin [Appoo – WiseTech Global CEO] said recently, the best leaders are working on the same problems as their team, not just telling them what to do. You have to sit down with someone, spend an hour or two on the same problem, that’s how you actually help someone. Mentoring is exactly that,” he says.

Sam credits his experience as a mentor for balancing his strong technical skills.

“Mentoring requires patience and a completely different skillset from programming. I was always strong technically, and this role has really helped me develop and strengthen my soft skills.”

Embracing change and thinking at scale

Technology is evolving rapidly, and adaptability is essential. But Sam believes that Earn & Learn engineers are uniquely equipped to thrive in this environment.

“They’re already going through a big transition, from school to professional life, so they’re naturally more adaptable than others,” he explains.

Sam believes that scalability is a mindset that he’s learned from working at WiseTech and he passes on to others. “We teach young people to think broadly: ‘how can my work impact more people than just myself?’ Or ‘what if this solution had to work for 10 million users, not just 10?’ That’s how you prepare people to build things at scale.”

Invest in yourself and be curious

Sam enjoys reading and researching different topics in his personal time, as well as spending time outdoors.

“I enjoy learning across different fields such as biology, chemistry, engineering. I like going to parks, beaches, hiking and spending time with my wife,” he says.

When asked to share his most valuable advice for aspiring technologists, Sam encourages them to focus on improving in one area, which has a flow on effect.

“For me, I’ve found that being productive in one area gives you energy for others. When you apply yourself – whether it’s learning something new or taking on challenges at work – it builds momentum that carries over into everything else. The more you do, the more you’re able to accomplish.”