Milica Cvetkovic, a 35-year-old senior technical solutions consultant at Google Cloud, has spent the past three years building AI systems for enterprise customers—but her journey to this prestigious role was anything but conventional. Born and raised in Serbia, Cvetkovic moved to the United States at 18 and embarked on a winding career path that included bartending in Chicago and New Orleans, working as a shot girl on Bourbon Street, and serving as a caregiver in a nursing home.
After earning a mathematics degree, Cvetkovic spent four to five years as a curriculum designer at McGraw-Hill Education before pursuing graduate studies in statistics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her graduate program, she began researching how to teach machine learning to non-technical audiences, specifically computational biologists. This unique combination of technical expertise and educational background became her competitive advantage.
Cvetkovic’s first hands-on AI experience came through an internship as a machine learning engineer with a Madison-based startup that used predictive devices for animal health monitoring. She continued working there full-time after graduation while simultaneously teaching machine learning—first in bootcamps, then at the university level.
The turning point came when she realized she didn’t want to code 24/7 anymore and felt her soft skills were underutilized. When she discovered her current role at Google, it was a “perfect fit” that leveraged both her technical AI expertise and her ability to communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences.
Cvetkovic emphasizes that her ability to explain technical AI concepts in accessible ways is her most valuable skill. She believes that accomplished scientists who can discuss their research in interesting, non-technical terms are the most effective communicators. Her diverse background—spanning education, engineering, technical degrees, and community involvement—collectively prepared her for success at one of the world’s leading AI companies. She compares the Google application process to training for a marathon, with the job itself being a “celebration of all the work that you’ve already done.”
Key Quotes
I think it’s very valuable to have the skill to talk about technical concepts in a way that people are going to understand. The most incredible talks I’ve heard from accomplished scientists are from those who can talk about their research in an interesting and non-technical way.
Cvetkovic explains what she considers her most valuable professional skill—the ability to communicate complex AI and machine learning concepts to diverse audiences. This capability has become increasingly important as companies seek to implement AI solutions across their organizations.
You don’t have to hustle and have 17 different things you do in order to get a Big Tech job. You can be excellent in just one thing; it just turns out I had all those interests.
Addressing common misconceptions about landing roles at companies like Google, Cvetkovic emphasizes that her varied background wasn’t a deliberate strategy but rather a reflection of genuine interests. She encourages aspiring AI professionals to focus on depth rather than breadth.
Getting the job at Google was like training for the marathon. The marathon itself is more of a celebration of all the work that you’ve already done.
Drawing on her experience as an actual marathon runner, Cvetkovic describes how her entire career journey—from bartending to machine learning engineering—prepared her for her current role building AI systems at Google Cloud.
Our Take
Cvetkovic’s story reveals an important evolution in AI hiring: companies are recognizing that building effective AI systems requires more than just coding skills. Her background in curriculum design and teaching machine learning to non-technical audiences positioned her perfectly for the growing field of AI implementation and customer success. This reflects a maturation of the AI industry—moving from pure research and development to practical deployment at scale. The emphasis on communication skills signals that as AI becomes more widespread, the bottleneck isn’t just building the technology but helping organizations understand and adopt it effectively. Her non-traditional path also challenges the gatekeeping narrative in tech, demonstrating that diverse life experiences can provide unique value in shaping how AI systems are designed and deployed for real-world applications.
Why This Matters
This story highlights a critical talent gap in the rapidly expanding AI industry: the need for professionals who can bridge the divide between complex technical systems and business applications. As companies across sectors rush to implement AI solutions, Google and other tech giants increasingly value employees who possess both deep technical knowledge and exceptional communication skills.
Cvetkovic’s journey challenges the conventional narrative that Big Tech careers require linear paths through elite universities and traditional computer science backgrounds. Her success demonstrates that diverse experiences—including customer service, education, and caregiving—can provide valuable perspectives for building AI systems that serve real-world needs.
The emphasis on teaching AI to non-technical audiences reflects a broader industry trend: as AI becomes ubiquitous, the ability to democratize understanding of these technologies becomes increasingly valuable. Companies need professionals who can help clients implement AI solutions, explain algorithmic decisions to stakeholders, and train teams on new AI tools. This role—technical solutions consulting—represents a growing career path in the AI ecosystem that doesn’t require constant coding but demands deep technical understanding combined with exceptional interpersonal skills.
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Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/google-employee-describes-career-path-ai-2026-1