Ugne Vaitiekute, an Initial Structure Damage Evaluator at FL Technics, fell in love with aviation quite accidentally. As a high school student, she dreamt of studying dentistry or chemical engineering, but when she found the aeronautical engineering study program, she was sure that was it. Ugne realized it was exactly what she wanted.
6 years later, Ugne is still as passionate about aviation as she was in the very beginning. She’s already been successfully working in the industry full-time for a bit more than 2 years, and her journey started with a 2-month internship as an Aviation Mechanic at FL Technics, which laid the foundation for her further career.
Despite some challenges, Ugne says the internship was an excellent choice. “My internship taught me that practical experience is different from theory. While studying, I learned about planes as a whole, but during the internship, I discovered the importance of each part and how they work together. I also had to learn to use technical documents, which weren’t part of my studies. Most importantly, there were always people around me, who were happy to help and answer my questions.”
While Ugne didn’t stay with FL Technics after her internship as the company wasn’t in need of any more employees, she wasn’t too upset about it. Instead, Ugne took a job as a Documentation Specialist in another company but soon found office work wasn’t her thing. A year later, she happily accepted an offer to work at FL Technics as a full-time Initial Structure Damage Evaluator.
The thing Ugne loves most about her current role is, as in most aviation careers, the fact that it never gets boring or monotonous. The same tasks rarely repeat as Ugne gets to handle both documentation and work on planes, and she’s also fascinated by the dynamic work environment. The biggest challenge lies in the constant changes and improvements, requiring Ugne to stay updated and continuously learn.
Ugne is also very grateful for the support the group offers, encouraging employees to grow and expand their skills. According to Ugne, her managers are always ready to lend a hand, colleagues are friendly and supportive, and the work culture promotes collaboration and openness. “Also, during every holiday, the company gives some gifts to its employees, which really brightens your day,” says Ugne.
When asked about her greatest internship achievement, Ugne stays humble, “I think in an industry like aviation, 2 months is a very short time to be successful because it takes a lot of hard work, learning, and patience. But I think, after some time, I will have bigger achievements to be proud of. I can tell you a few fun facts I learned during my internship, though: black boxes aren’t black and… Psst, this is a secret one — airplanes can be fixed with an actual tape.”
Ending Ugne’s story on this light note, we want to remind her that we’re very happy to have such a talented professional in our group and wish her all the best in her future endeavors!
Vilnius, Lithuania
