Welcome to our Anniversary Interview with Laura Roke. Yes – lady in aviation industry! Not something what you see everyday! She works in EngineStands24 as Product Manager in our Vilnius office and will soon complete 5 years in Magnetic MRO family. She is a great sample of attitude and willpower of staying on TOP in a man’s world. And she doesn’t seem bored or tired….
On behalf of celebrating her past years among us, our Head of Marketing and Communications Tiina Shein asked a few moments of Laura’s time to share her experiences and thoughts in Magnetic MRO.
Tiina Shein: So, Laura, 5 years at Magnetic MRO. How did such a beautiful girl get involved in aviation?
Laura Roke: Ever since I was a young child, it has somehow always been my dream to work in aviation. Airplanes, aircraft engines, airports – all of these things and the world of aviation has always attracted me so much that I just felt I should be in this fascinating world.
TS: That’s wonderful to hear that you are working in your dream industry and you’re pursuing your passion as a member of Magnetic family. Could you please name the departments and job titles you’ve worked under at MMRO so far?
LR: In 2014 I started as a Customer Support Manager, a position I held for about year. Then, in 2015, when we started developing our subbrand EngineStands24, I started working there as a Product Manager and it’s the position I still hold.
TS: Tell us a bit more about your current job. What are you doing as EngineStands24 Product Manager? What are your daily/weekly tasks?
LR: As a Product Manager, I’m helping our customers: airlines, leasing companies, other MRO’s and engine shops to ship engines from one location to another. Everybody is more interested in the higher value asset, which is the engine, but less care is put into engine stands. That’s where I come in and that is my main aim – to be at the right time and the right place to assist customers with engine movements all over the world, making sure needed engine stands are exactly where they should be. Of course my main roles also include being visible in the industry and make ES24 well known in the market.
TS: WOW! Sounds that your previous experience as Customer Support Manager really comes handy! But in general, aviation is thought of as a male-dominated industry, correct? However, soon you will have worked in aviation for 5 years and been very successful. Tell me, what’s the attitude towards women in aviation? How women are looked at and perceived in this so industry, perhaps you have an interesting example of it?
LR: I don’t remember exact situations but to be a woman in aviation is sometimes even harder (though I have to admit, a lot of my colleagues will disagree J). You always have to prove yourself why you are here and why you are in any given position.
What I do remember is that in the beginning I was a bit scared to meet with “serious” technical directors, engineers, base/line maintenance managers and discuss aviation business. But when you’re a woman and working in aviation, you should always be professional and you should know even more than others, about your products or services or somethings else. You should always be ready to show your value, prove your worth to othes in the room.
Honestly, I think optimism, good mood and smiling always has helped me in the hardest of situations.
TS: This is very good advice for any women in aviation. But now, changing gears, what about your best memory at Magnetic? Are you willing to share it with everybody?
LR: That’s difficult to answer because every day in Magnetic has something special. You come to work every morning and the adventure just starts as you never know what the day will bring. My customers, colleagues, new challenges, emotions, different situations – I keep learning something new every day. This drives my and it helps to charge my batteries. So I would say the best memories at Magnetic are every workdays.
TS: Wow, that’s wonderful to hear. But how would you define all these years spent in Magnetic and ES24?
LR: If I were to describe it with one word, it would be “changes.” There have been a lot of them since I started in Magnetic in 2014. Back then, we started our Vilnius office with only our former CEO Jonas Butautis and 3 other newcomers besides me. Under Jonas, we learned all the secrets of aviaton. I still remember how exciting that time was. Now, Magnetic MRO is a well-known company in the aviation market and it makes me really proud and very happy to be a part of it.
TS: It’s been an incredible ride, for sure, especially for you. Would you say working at Magnetic MRO has changed your life in any way?
LR: Yes, definitely! Aviation and Magnetic MRO changed my life as I found my dream work. You could say aviation and MMRO is like winning a jackpot in lottery!
TS: That’s very good to hear! Thank you for sparing a couple of minutes of your time to share your experiences and moments at MMRO. I can confidently say that it’s wonderful to have you onboard! Here’s to a many more successful years at Magnetic!
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