Career story of FTPO graduate Matic Premužič

My career path began with a secondary school education in chemical engineering, which I obtained in Ruše. I come from Maribor, and when we had laboratory exercises at the Faculty of Polymer Technology (FTPO) during secondary school, they presented the faculty and employment opportunities to us. This inspired me and cemented my decision to continue my studies.

At FTPO, I particularly liked the attitude of the professors and the entire staff towards us students. They made an effort to ensure that everyone understood the material and that we were not just numbers, as is the case at some larger faculties. A big advantage of FTPO is its small size, which allows for greater connectivity and good cooperation with companies, which means a lot of practical knowledge.

At first, I thought that student life in Slovenj Gradec would be boring, but I was lucky to have excellent classmates with whom we created an experience comparable to studying in a larger city.

I got a job on the first day after graduating. I was familiar with Roto because I had already established contact with the company in my second year of undergraduate studies and did my practical training there. Now I am the head of the laboratory, and my work includes participating in development projects, determining processing and quality parameters, and developing our own materials for use in rotomolding. I acquired theoretical knowledge at university, and I further improved my practical skills through work.

Among my greatest professional achievements, I consider my participation in the Roto team, which won the Company of the Year award in 2023, and receiving the company's internal award for outstanding achievements in 2024. I am still in contact with the faculty, as I participate in various projects and events organized by FTPO. I am happy to be able to maintain a connection with my educational environment and contribute to its development.

In my free time, I enjoy various sports. In winter, I enjoy snowboarding and hot air ballooning, and in summer, I devote myself to hang gliding or ballooning.