Nijolė Žukienė, who has been working at the bakery for 37 years: "Every day is different here"

Nijolė Žukienė came to work at Vilniaus Duona after graduating from a trade school, as a young specialist. And he has stayed and been working here for 37 years. A smile does not disappear from her face, and she affectionately calls bread bread. She says she has found meaning in this work. And her family even knows how to separate from a bread clip that was baked by her mother's shift. Nijolė, who works as a baker and baker in a bakery in Panevėžys, was elected by her colleagues last year as an ambassador of the Value of Vigor.

Nijole, you have been working in a bakery for thirty years. Isn't it boring to work for so long?

Every day is different and unequal. That's what fascinates you. Once it will be very difficult and difficult. And we always get out of those situations as a team: we decide, talk, argue. Then, when there is a good result, such a day is a meaningful day spent at work. A good bread is baked because it is supplied to people, so the responsibility is immense.

Watch the VIDEO with Nijole Žukienė HERE.

How did you end up at Vilniaus Duona?

I appeared at Vilniaus Duona after graduating from the trade school, as a young specialist. I first came to the confectionery bar to work, as a category IV confectioner.

I worked successfully. Then there was the desire to leave. The managers suggested another area – to realize themselves in the workshop. Well, it was like a challenge for me. I tried. I tested myself in all the operations. Later, he proposed the composers. It was also a challenge, well, I thought, you can't always get out if you can't do it. I have adapted and have been working successfully for many years, for 37 years.

A lot of people have changed during this time, a lot of managers. I gained experience.

And do you eat bread yourself?

Of course I do. Maybe I prefer baguettes myself, my family eats them willingly. My favorite baguette of "The Capital", I don't know how for others. But also the bright "Lietuvaitė" is very tasty to me, "Vilniaus duona", here are my favorite pastries, adapted to meat as well. Meker or beggar, the so-called bread, is very tasty to refresh yourself in summer. It is very tasty for young people to bake bread on hikes, with sunflowers or otherwise light bread. Delicious.

There are a lot of names, there are an infinite number of them. For each person according to their needs, according to their taste, everyone can choose for real.

What does the family know about your work? It happens that you show in a store – is this my job?

They know! Shift II, number II. They know that this is the work and result of all the people in my shift.

Vilniaus Duona had also organized a camp for young people in Giruliai, for ten days, for the children of the company's employees. The fear was to give the children away for ten days, but the children liked it very much. He left a great impression. He gained a lot of understanding about bread. There were good events, relays, t-shirts, hats were given as gifts, the children just had a good time and got an understanding of bread, I am very grateful that both of my boys fell. The impression has remained with them to this day. There was also a tour organized for children, to see where their parents work. They also know the whole way, from the beginning to the packing, the removal, they remember.

Last year, you were elected as an ambassador of the Value of Vigor by your colleagues. What characteristics do you think led to this?

I'm really driven. I have tried to work in all positions and I can help people if necessary.

If a problem arises, I don't stand idly by, but go and help. We solve problems and work in unison as a team.

How is this work for young people?

We would like to invite more young people to come here and try themselves. A lot can be achieved here, as long as there are goals and desire. It is definitely possible to work and fit into our team. Everyone kindly shows, helps, teaches what to do, how to do it.

Only the desire, the goal and the coming to work with us are important. We are very much inviting and looking forward to the young people!

A lot can be achieved here, as long as there are goals and desire.

What properties do you need to bake bread?

Honesty, diligence. Bread is baked for the everyday consumer, the person on the table – this is what a person must have a great responsibility for. Because a living product and its path is difficult. You don't stamp bricks anyway.

And every day you encounter new things: because the types of flour also change in summer and spring, you have to absorb and understand. Experience, of course, makes work easier. Sometimes, you come, you hear some kind of picture that is not like yesterday and you already know something is wrong. You react, you warn. Long-term experience helps the result. But anyway, everyone can, only if there is a desire. We really invite you very much.

A person will become energetic and driven. Whoever has understanding, perception, responsibility, hygiene, of course, must be good, because here we work with food, it is very important. And anyway, they will learn everything, they will definitely learn and teach!

And how do you recognize from the sound that something is wrong?

It's like driving a car. After all, you can already recognize from the picture that something is wrong, something is wrong. It's the same here, too. When you "drive" between the machines all day, you see how all the bread passes by you, how it is raised, baked, it really sees, feels, and hears, if something is wrong.

What are your responsibilities at work, what are you responsible for?

The quality of bread baking, standing, baking to get a high-quality beautiful bread into the slicer. A good day at work for me happens when everything goes well, smoothly, without breakdowns, then the day goes by easier.

I go through three lines. I watch the whole process, the raising of bread, the cauldrons, the ascent, the baking. You have to know all this, see the four sides.

You speak so softly about bread, you call it bread.

The fact that she is a living bread. It's a long way to go. You just feel it. And you will feel it, if you want to work with bread, you will definitely feel it. You will master the production, the knowledge of recipes, species, names.

Do you want to give up baked bread?

You know, not (laughs). In our canteen there is always bread placed. There are breaks, then there are resignations. And at work, there is no time to think about it, there is work here. For example, now baguettes are baked, they go to the carving and there the women are carving. Before that, the baked goods go to the cooler, I call it a carousel: it rotates there for about 70 minutes until it cools down so that it reaches the slicer cool, otherwise it compresses, loses its shape, so it is sliced after cooling.

You have been working in this job for many years. What do you like here?

I like constancy. I also like challenges. It's somehow not boring here either. I like it very much, I fell in love with my job, I gave myself here for many years. When you come to the company, it happens that you only work in packaging. But that's also good, because you get to know the company, its work. And if you want, you will ask for more, you will improve. It really gives a lot of opportunities in the company. They don't underestimate that you can't, you can't. You just need to find yourself, where you are suitable and for that job to be enjoyable for you to work in. It's not that I just need to do the job – you have to discover yourself first.

You can watch the VIDEO with Nijole Žukienė HERE.