Project Manager Andrej: “The biggest challenge at the moment is the lack of specialists”

Is finding a good job really luck, or is it the merit of hard work? Andrej’s story easily answers this question. Starting as a Foreman in France with a vision to return and work in Lithuania, Andrej has held every role: Foreman, Head of Region and finally Project Manager. Today, he shares his advice for young professionals and reveals the key to being a good leader.

The start in shipbuilding

“I have a bachelor’s degree in Shipbuilding and a master’s degree in Ship Design, after which I worked in the field for five years. I spent a significant part of my career in France, at a shipyard, where I met the current managers of MARINO: Anton, Egidijus and Aurimas. One day I received an offer from them to work as a Foreman for MARINO in France, with the prospect of returning to Lithuania, to the Klaipėda office. The conditions were really good, so I thought to myself: ‘Why not?’ That’s how my journey with MARINO took off.

After that, I worked on the largest site in Saint-Nazaire for two years as a Foreman with a team of 20 to 30 professionals. I did my job pretty well, as the French clients left good feedback about our team. I also had a great experience with superyacht repair, which was one of the more interesting projects at the time,” says Andrej.

Andrej acknowledges that the success of a project comes from the synergy of the team: “Without the help of excellent specialists (like Production Manager Arvydas) we would not have achieved such brilliant results. When I became Head of Region, I oversaw 300+ employees, each of whom is equally important for the success of the projects.”

“And since April this year I have been a Project Manager in Lithuania, working on ship-hull projects. I manage projects with Foremen, and we have found a wonderful department manager, Andrius, who is able to communicate clearly and precisely. The well-developed structure of the shipbuilding department led by Lukas allows us to continue successfully.”

Young professionals just need courage

“I would simply wish the professionals who have just graduated courage. What has helped me personally? If I didn’t know something, I always asked, and I had a notebook with me at all times, because you can’t put all your thoughts together without it. I used to write everything down there, and it helped a lot with remembering important details.”

“I would also encourage young people not to be afraid to ask questions, because that’s the only way you can improve.”

Andrej reminds us that teamwork is the key to a successful career: “Even as a manager, I have always talked to more experienced professionals. Whether it’s a supervisor, an assembler or a welder, they’ve helped me improve faster. In general, you have to be a team player and not be afraid to work together, because you can’t do it all alone.”

A good leader doesn’t have to be strict

According to Andrej, when working with a large team you have to keep the human factor in mind: “When you’re a manager, you need to give individual attention to your team. Sometimes you need to ask how things are going, sit down together for a coffee, give advice or just listen sincerely. When you pay attention to someone, they open up, want to work with you and trust you. It’s motivating. You don’t always have to be a strict leader.

I’ve been through this work from A to Z, so I know exactly what manufacturing from scratch is. This gives me a good idea of what employees want from me, because I once had the same expectations myself. When you can see both sides of a situation, it makes it a lot easier.”

Fewer graduates are choosing shipbuilding

“Our main challenge at the moment is the shortage of good professionals. I’m talking about ship-hull welders, assemblers, engineers, supervisors. It is not a very popular profession, and I think we really need more information for students about what the industry is about. On the one hand, shipbuilding is one of the most difficult fields and the education is full of challenges, but on the other hand, the future is immense, because there are few specialists and you will always be needed. The demand in our company alone is growing rapidly every year, so I would definitely encourage young people to take up shipbuilding as a profession.”