Besides work, Stephan Schulz, Deputy Quality Assurance Manager at Direct Maintenance, also likes that our organization has the commitment to spend time together. Get to know Stephan better as he answered a few questions for our Meet the Team feature!
How did your aviation career start? What was your experience prior to joining Direct Maintenance, member of Magnetic Group?
My first role was as a Quality Engineer at Part-145 components, after which I joined an airline as a Part-145 auditor (and other scopes and standards). In this role, I have been at a number of Line and Base Maintenance facilities around the globe. Prior to joining Direct Maintenance, I was Quality Assurance Manager at a component shop under a military Part-145. From these various roles, I bring with me experience, especially from the Part-145 background.
What did you know about Direct Maintenance prior to joining? What was your first impression when you joined?
I was familiar with the existence of Direct Maintenance and intended to audit one of the East-Africa stations on behalf of my former employer. Due to the ever-changing dynamics in the world, I haven’t had that opportunity yet. At my first impression, I entered the dynamic line maintenance world. Personally, this was a moment to switch again, but a lot of fun. Besides the work, I like that the organization also has the commitment to spend time together, such as organizing social events.
What are the main challenges in your line of work?
There are numerous challenges within the QA profession which are happening in the “silent factory”. What matters most to the company is that QA processes support the operational processes in a 24/7 organization. The challenge lies mainly in the right division of attention in all areas, respecting our good reasons why we do things the way we do them. This also means that you have to prioritize your own work, even while eager to support others.
What are your key goals for this year in your work?
My main goal for this year is to work my way into the organization and work with the Quality Assurance Manager to reestablish the QA team. The challenge is mainly in not wanting to do everything at once because with big steps, the pitfalls are not seen. Step by step, we move forward.
Besides work, what are your hobbies?
I would have loved to tell you about my current hobbies. While I am busy with my part-time master’s program in management, it takes up my free time in the evenings and weekends.
And bonus question – what are your top destinations to travel to?
If I had to choose today, I would surely love to go back to Cancun, Mexico and visit the inland from there.