How Our DEV Team Sees Their Career Growth
At Agilcon and Gecko, growth isn’t just a buzzword—it’s something we actively cultivate through performance management, onboarding, mentorship, career development opportunities, hands-on learning, and building a culture of recognition.
We believe that learning never stops, and our employees’ career stories prove that anything is possible with the right support, persistence, and mindset.
In this blog, we’re sharing real experiences from our team members—how they’ve navigated career transitions, what they’ve learned from mentorship and onboarding, how they’ve upskilled through training programs, and what excellence means to them.
If you’re looking for a company where your growth matters, you’re in the right place. 💙
1. Mentorship: Growing Together
Mentorship is one of the most powerful tools for career growth, and statistics back this up:
- Employees who participate in mentorship programs are promoted five times more often than those who don’t.
- Retention rates for mentees (72%) and mentors (69%) are significantly higher compared to those who don’t engage in mentoring (49%). Source.
At Agilcon and Gecko, mentorship usually happens naturally through projects and everyday collaboration. We spoke with Marko Čirič, our Gecko Engineering Lead—also recognized by his colleagues as a “Feedback Virtuoso” and “Wisdom Sharer”— to hear his experiences on mentorship in the Gecko team.
“Becoming a mentor happened naturally. I enjoyed helping others and working through problems together, and over time, people started noticing and trusting my guidance.”
“It’s important to keep in mind that people think differently, and that’s okay—what matters is the result. I help them look at something from a different angle if something’s off. I also believe mentees should try things on their own first, because experience is the best teacher.”
“Mentoring takes time and effort. Not everyone naturally enjoys it. That’s why mentors need to genuinely want the role, as it requires patience, good listening skills, and the ability to adapt to different learning styles.” – Marko Čirič, Engineering Lead, Gecko.
Lovro Podgoršek, Salesforce Senior Engineer—recognized by his colleagues as a “Debugger Extraordinaire” and “Problem-Solving Maestro”—believes mentorship is all about helping others see the bigger picture. We asked him to share his insights on mentorship in the Agilcon team.
“Mentorship is challenging because you’re working with people with less experience, so you need to adapt to their way of thinking. Mentees often focus on the problem, not on the goal. My job is to help them understand the desired outcome. That’s when they start thinking outside the box.”
“I expect mentees to try solving things on their own and reach out when they’ve truly hit a wall. That way, they learn more and become more independent. As a mentor, you must find that balance in how much you support them— that middle ground where real growth happens.” – Lovro Podgoršek, Salesforce Senior Engineer, Agilcon.
2. Unusual Career Development Journeys
Career growth looks different for everyone. Some team members transitioned from completely different industries, while others took unconventional routes to get where they are today.
From Finance to Development: A Journey of Continuous Learning
Making a career switch can feel overwhelming, but it’s also a chance to develop a unique and valuable skill set. Let’s look at how Nejka Bolčič Gajšek, Salesforce Senior Engineer at Agilcon, embraced this transition and made it a success.
“I started in finance and consulting, working on business process optimization before moving into IT project implementation. My interest in tech led me to learn programming on my own and eventually pursue a master’s in computer science alongside my job.”
“My consulting background taught me to analyze business processes deeply, ask the right questions, and not just accept a client’s initial idea. By applying the “Five Whys” technique, I can help uncover the underlying problem and design a more effective system that optimizes their workflows.”
The journey from finance to IT has been challenging, but each step—learning, adapting, and applying past experiences—has shaped me into a more well-rounded professional.” -Nejka Bolčič Gajšek, Salesforce Senior Engineer, Agilcon.
From Healthcare to IT: A Unique Career Journey
Shifting from healthcare to IT was not a straightforward path, but it was built on adaptability and continuous learning, says Timotej Brumec, our Gecko Engineer.
“Starting as a hospital shift manager after earning a healthcare degree, I realized my passion lay elsewhere. After experimenting with mechanical engineering and discovering it wasn’t the right fit, I pursued bioinformatics for my master’s, which ultimately led me to IT.”
“My past experiences gave me valuable skills—handling high-pressure situations, staying calm during chaotic moments, and communicating complex information in a way anyone can understand. In the hospital, explaining medical conditions to non-experts taught me how to break down technical concepts, which is now a key part of my role when working with clients.”
“One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in IT is that mistakes happen, and they are often the best learning opportunities.” -Timotej Brumec, Engineer, Gecko.
From Factory Work to Software Development
After three years as an assembler, Marko Čirič, Gecko Engineering Lead, felt stuck—his work had become routine, offering little room for growth. That’s when he took matters into his own hands and began learning programming.
“For two years, I spent three hours every afternoon studying Java: How to Program (10th Edition) until I felt confident enough to apply for a job. I sent just one application—to Agilcon—because their job posting emphasized that everything could be learned with the right mindset.“
“The transition to IT was challenging: everything was new, and I had to learn from scratch, studying every day after work. My previous work experience didn’t help much, but my background in judo did—discipline and persistence made all the difference.” – Marko Čirič, Engineering Lead, Gecko.
3. Training & Learning: Investing in Growth
Learning is a core part of our culture, whether through structured training programs or on-the-job experience. Let’s look at the training programs that had the greatest impact on our team’s growth in recent times.
Embracing Leadership: Lessons from Training – by Nejka Bolčič Gajšek
“One of the most impactful trainings I’ve joined was Leadership for First-Time Leaders—a hands-on series where we tackled real challenges and ended each session with a concrete action, like a one-on-one to understand team motivation better,” pointed out Nejka.
“Transitioning from an individual contributor to a leadership role has been challenging, particularly in learning to step back from hands-on work and focus on guiding the team. One of the biggest takeaways has been learning to delegate effectively—letting go of tasks I was used to handling and empowering my team to take ownership.” -Nejka Bolčič Gajšek, Salesforce Senior Engineer, Agilcon.
Growing Through Certifications: Expanding Skills & Knowledge – by Jan Markočič
“Getting certified has been a big part of my growth at Agilcon. Each certification—whether in Salesforce development, AI, or JavaScript—has helped me better understand the tools I work with and given me new ways to build smarter solutions. Knowing how Salesforce approaches certain problems has greatly improved creating user-friendly features for our clients,” shared Jan M.
“One great example is the AI-powered features we’re introducing in Gecko. Thanks to the Salesforce Certified AI Specialist certification, I had a solid understanding of the technical and security challenges from the start, which made the whole process much smoother.”
“For anyone thinking about getting certified, my best advice is to start studying at the beginning of a sprint instead of waiting until the middle or end. Studying in small, consistent sessions makes it easier to stay on track and get it done.” -Jan Markočič, Engineer, Gecko.
A Culture of Learning and Wellbeing – by People and Culture team
At Agilcon and Gecko, we offer a variety of one-time and recurring learning opportunities throughout the year. We regularly invest in internal and external leadership development initiatives, such as our Leadership Academy and individual coaching support, to help our people grow.
I strongly believe that investing in leadership development is key—not just for building high-performing teams, but for creating a positive, engaging culture that supports retention and long-term success.” – Nina Visočnik, People and Culture Manager, Agilcon and Gecko.
One of our most well-received initiatives is the Mental Wellbeing Awareness Program, reflecting our strong focus on employee well-being. Our approach is dynamic, explains Elena.
“We tailor learning topics to match our feedback culture and current challenges, ensuring everyone can take away something valuable, and it shows, with at least 50% of our team actively participating in each training initiative.” – Elena Kučej, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Agilcon and Gecko.
👉 Want to learn more? Check out our blog: “Let’s See How We Grow and Learn!”
4. Onboarding: Setting Up for Success
A strong onboarding program makes all the difference. Employees who participate in structured onboarding with mentorship are 49% less likely to leave their organization.
“Over the past three years, 70–80% of new joiners at Agilcon have completed our onboarding process—a strong indicator of how we support early growth and integration. We’re proud of that consistency and always look for ways to raise the bar.” – Nina Visočnik, People and Culture Manager, Agilcon and Gecko.
Let’s see how Jan Kačičnik, Salesforce Engineer and one of the newest members of our Agilcon team, experienced the onboarding process.
“One of the biggest lessons as a junior is learning how to navigate challenges without giving up. Working closely with others at the beginning helped me realize that there are often simpler ways to solve a problem—I sometimes made things more complicated than needed. Regular feedback, code reviews, and discussions with mentors gave me insight into how senior developers think and approach problem-solving.”
“The onboarding experience was smooth, thanks to the supportive team and multiple mentors who were always open to helping. In just a few months, I feel I’ve made more progress than in my previous jobs, which motivates me to keep learning and improving.” -Jan Kačičnik, Salesforce Engineer, Agilcon.
What about over in our Gecko team? Let’s see how Timotej Brumec, a seasoned engineer, remembers his first steps on the Gecko engineering team.
“During onboarding, I had daily 10-15 minute syncs with my team lead, where we discussed what I needed and worked through challenges together. We always did code reviews as a team, and if I got stuck, we tackled the problem side by side. I believe it’s crucial for a mentee to try things independently, with guidance and daily check-ins to ensure support.”
Without mentorship, I wouldn’t have progressed this far—not just in technical skills but also in client communication and professionalism.” – Timotej Brumec, Engineer, Gecko.
5. Recognizing Excellence: Celebrating Growth
At Agilcon, excellence isn’t just about delivering projects—it’s about building lasting solutions, creating value for clients, teams, and the company, and constantly improving. Let’s hear what some of our most experienced team members say about recognizing excellence.
“To me, excellence means creating something that not only solves the problem but also makes life easier for myself, my colleagues, or the client. Too often, in different situations, the focus is on finishing tasks quickly, but I’ve noticed a shift in mindset in our company—there’s now more emphasis on building things the right way.” – Marko Čirič, Engineering Lead, Gecko.
“Recognizing excellence isn’t just about individual achievements, but about placing people in the right roles where they can truly shine. A successful project means a satisfied client, a motivated employee, and a strong outcome for the company. Regular feedback is crucial in this process, with praise and constructive input given at key moments.” -Tine Mele, COO, Gecko.
“I recognize achievements in different ways—from direct feedback in calls and meetings to structured initiatives like OTI, which team leads at Agilcon can award to team members for going the extra mile. There’s no universal rule when it comes to criteria. For a junior, completing a task independently can be a big achievement, while for a senior, it might be successfully leading a project. It’s all about context.” – Kevin Rogatić, Salesforce Engineering Lead and Program Manager, Agilcon.
“For me, excellence is closely tied to values and culture. You can be like Tadej Pogačar, but if you don’t act in line with the company’s values, you can’t be considered excellent in this environment. We see excellence as a mix of teamwork, a growth mindset, added value for everyone involved, and taking full responsibility for our work.” – Nina Visočnik, People and Culture Manager, Agilcon and Gecko.
Are You Interested in Growing With Us?
At Agilcon, we believe that careers are built, not given. Whether you’re just starting or looking for your next challenge, we offer mentorship, learning opportunities, and a culture that values excellence.
📌 Join our talent pool and be the first to hear about new opportunities!
📌 Check out our open positions and take the next step in your career with us.
Read more in “What Does a Salesforce Developer Do at Agilcon?” or check out our other blog posts here.
