Meet Julia and Sophie

What’s one thing that makes your job exciting or special?

The product! We are as close as you can get to the aircraft. What we deliver is crucial for our customers and directly contributes to Airbus’s results and success. 

What makes it special as well is the fact that we are sharing the job & co-leading the team. 

What inspired you to join Airbus? 

Sophie: For my 15th birthday, my father gave me my first flying lesson. This is how flying became a passion and it became absolutely clear that I wanted to study aeronautical engineering and work close to the aircraft. I joined the Airbus graduate programme in Toulouse in 2010. This has been a perfect way to start my career, discovering different areas of the company in a short period of time, while taking part in very valuable training and enjoying getting to know people from all over the world, who 15 years later are still very close friends.

Julia: Very different for me compared to Sophie. After I finished my apprenticeship in the automotive industry I got the unique opportunity to start at Airbus Customer Services. I was really excited to start my professional career in a very international environment with a lot of customer contact.

Is there something that surprised you about working for Airbus?

Sophie: How international and integrated Airbus is. I have always enjoyed evolving in a global environment, and I believe Airbus has a very unique set up in this sense: it is neither a french, a german, or a spanish company, it is a truly Global company. 

Explain what you do in simple terms

We lead a team of 260 people, with the mission to test the aircraft and make sure everything is working as it should while it is being assembled in the Final Assembly Line in Hamburg. This starts with the electrical power-on of the aircraft, and covers various aspects, from checking that the fuel tank is not leaky, that the lights in the cabin work, to the fact that the landing gear comes out properly. And if it doesn’t work as it should, finding out why and how to fix it. To some extent we fly the aircraft on the ground before it actually takes off for the first time. 

How does your role contribute to Airbus’ mission or the success of its products?

We directly contribute to ensuring that we deliver our aircraft on time and on quality to the airlines. 

How has Airbus supported your career growth or personal development?

Throughout our careers we both got the opportunity to be part and attend different development programmes and training sessions. Also, we have been supported by different mentors, something we both find extremely valuable.

How has your career evolved since you joined Airbus?

Sophie: I started in Toulouse on the A350 Programme as it was still in the development phase. I moved to Hamburg in 2012 and since then I have been working within the A320 Family Operations / Production, but with very different roles & perspectives. I started with improvement projects on the shop floor, a more strategic & international view as I was Executive Assistant to the Head of A320 FALs (Hamburg, Toulouse, Tianjin, Mobile), took over the lead of large Industrial Projects and then moved towards leadership roles in Production, starting with the Station Leader role on one of the assembly lines. This is actually where Julia and I got to know each other. 

Julia: After my starting point at Airbus Customer Services and an MBA which I did part time, I decided that it is time for me to move on to production. In the automotive industry I always enjoyed being at the shop floor. With  extensive knowledge and experience from the customer in-service area and after my first leadership role, I got the opportunity to take the position as station leader at the A320 FAL in Hamburg. To me, this was a huge step. 

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned as a leader?

Julia: You are only as good as your team is. Though this sounds a bit like one of the typical leadership phrases, it is so true. It is my (our)  responsibility to make sure our team can work and is able to deliver as best as they can.

What’s your most memorable experience at Airbus? Why does it stand out?

Sophie: The first flights of new aircraft: I had the chance to attend the take off of the A350 and the A320 XLR. It is somehow very emotional to see the aircraft you have been working on lift up into the sky. 

Julia: Being at the hangar, a jacked up A380 at the centre position, with two A320 at each side underneath the wing. Truly impressive and giving such a good impression of the dimension of our products.

Is there a specific project or moment you’re particularly proud of? Why?

Sophie: Contributing to setting up the 4th line, the most modern assembly line in Hamburg, and taking over the management of the cabin installation team. It was my first management role, as a  young french woman in a 100% German production environment. It was definitely a big challenge and a very exciting few years, with a very strong team spirit. 

Julia: Covid-phase. I took over a new team at our site in Buxtehude, right before Covid arrived in Europe. There were so many changes and special requirements during that time.  Looking back at this extremely challenging time, I am very proud of how we as a team managed to navigate through it. 

What advice would you give to someone starting a career in aerospace?

Do intern or traineeships. They often provide the opportunity to get experience in different parts / areas of a company. And take time to meet people working in aerospace to understand more concretely what their daily job is about.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career at Airbus?

There are different possibilities, e.g. early career programmes to enter the company or to get first insights. 

What would you say to someone who doesn’t think they “fit” in aerospace?

Julia: Initially I had a commercial background and my CV did not look like someone who could fit into production. However, I am really interested in our product and technical issues. I chose a master’s degree course which would give me a push into that direction. For many areas, I believe that passion, motivation and interest will help you to achieve your goals, even if at first glance you do not seem to fit.

If you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?

Julia: Take advice, but at the end trust what you would like to do and where your head and heart leads you. 

Sophie: I would have said the same, don’t try to “plan your career” so much, the most important thing is to enjoy and feel motivated by what you do everyday. 

What advice would you give to aspiring leaders? 

Julia: Ask yourself why you would like to take over a leadership position! If you are a leader you need to like to work with people, handle conflicts and work in a team!

What do you appreciate most about Airbus as a workplace?

Definitely the unique number of opportunities: working at different sites, in different countries, different areas/functions of the company with people from all over the world. 

Which Airbus value resonates with you, and why?

Respect and team work. We are so much stronger & powerful as a team and respect is just the basis of everything. Especially as a leader, recognizing the opinions and contributions of others, listening, and valuing each person. In Production, the tone can be very direct and there is a huge pressure to deliver, but in the end, our daily job is based on relationships and respect is key!

How does Airbus support you in maintaining work-life balance?

Airbus has given us both the possibility to take over a challenging role in job-sharing. 

This “working model” had never been tried in such an operational leadership role before. It gives us the flexibility we both need and helps us to keep a good balance between our career at Airbus, activities outside of the company and family. After 1,5 years working together in tandem, we are absolutely convinced of the concept, which actually has many more advantages than just the “time flexibility” and we don’t regret one second of our decision.

What motivates you to keep growing in your career?

Being part and contributing to our company's vision to revolutionize and decarbonise the aerospace industry. 

On the other hand and linked to our own career we want to motivate more women to take over leadership roles (in production).

What’s one message you’d like to share with the next generation of aerospace professionals?

There are so many changes to come, in a world with growing competition and a huge sustainability challenge, there is still so much to be done! 

Do you have a favourite quote or mantra that inspires you in your work?

Sophie: It comes from my primary school teacher and was written above the black board “QOVOP”. In French “Quand on veut on peut”, “when we want, we can”. 

Julia: It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. (Lucius Annaeus Seneca).

Which word would sum up your life at Airbus? 

Enriching

How would you sum up Airbus in 3 words? 

Passion, opportunities, and international