Success Stories

Meet The Team: Irina Lilova & Tsvetozar Cherkezov

Welcome to our "Meet the Team" blog post series, where we introduce you to the amazing people behind our company! At Telerik Academy, our mission is to help people jumpstart or accelerate successful careers in the software industry, thus changing their lives and helping the sector grow. Our team is made up of passionate and dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to achieve this mission and make a positive impact in the IT industry. 

So, who are the people that make up our team?  

Meet Irina Lilova, Talent Success Manager and Tsvetozar Cherkezov, Technical Trainer. We asked them a few questions so you could get to know them better.

Here's what they shared. 

Meet Irina Lilova, Talent Success Manager

Can you explain as simply as possible what you do at Telerik Academy?

I ensure we have a team of great professionals and good-hearted people who have the right circumstances to do their jobs well. My role also concerns our Alpha students – I am responsible for the non-technical side of their training, where they learn to manage themselves, their relationships with others, and their careers post-graduation. 

What is your favorite part of your job? 

For me, one of the very best parts is seeing someone from our team getting recognized for their great job, and in those moments, my mind takes me to the moment when they were still applying for the position. In my role, I also regularly hear what people share about their experiences with the company and their team. This is when I catch myself wondering if it’s possible to feel any happier and prouder to belong to a crew like ours.

What is the last book you read?

"My Wonderful Bookstore", my mom gave it to me as she knows I love cosy reads with my coffee. It tells the author's real story about opening her bookstore in Vienna. I recently went on a trip to the city, found the actual bookstore, and talked to the people described in the book. I also left with a great novel by an Austrian author they recommended. Hopefully, it would help me brush up on my German, too.

Tell us one curious fact about you: 

I barely wait for December 1 to start listening to my Christmas playlist, and it goes on until January (at least). I might be the only person who still gets excited when they play "All I want for Christmas is you". So, 6 more months to go!

Meet Tsvetozar Cherkezov, Technical Trainer

Can you explain as simply as possible what you do at Telerik Academy?

I'm a technical trainer at Telerik Academy. We teach the students how to write code, how to explain technical terms correctly, and how to think like a software developer. The most important thing we teach them is how to learn correctly. And that's just scratching the surface. We're there when they fail, and we're there when they succeed. We mentor and get to know them and form lasting relationships with many of them. The key is to truly care for your student's success and well-being.

What is your favorite part of your job? 

Mentoring students. Their motivation, desire to learn and, most importantly, to share their ideas and projects are extremely energizing. You could spend the entire day mentoring students and still feel fresh at the end.

What is the last book you read?

"Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters" by Steven Pinker. It explains clearly one of my core beliefs for decades now - that rationality is a crucial driver of technological, scientific, moral and social progress. We should emphasize the importance of rationality constantly, especially in this day and age.

Tell us one curious fact about you: 

I love chameleons. They're like cute aliens with big eyes and tiny little karate-chop hands. Everything about them is impressive, and the more you learn, the more you love nature itself. 


We're incredibly proud of our team and the work they do each day. Stay tuned for our next blog post from this series, where you'll get to know more colleagues from our team. 

We'd love to hear from you if you're interested in joining our team. Check out our careers page for current openings, or contact us at careers@telerikacademy.com. We're constantly looking for talented individuals who are passionate about shaping the future of education.

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