Aurimas Jurevičius' path: from practice to career at Vilnius Bread

Aurimas Jurevičius, a junior product development technologist, is one of those people whose career path at Vilniaus Duona began with a decisive decision to do an internship here and turned into a permanent job. His story is about curiosity, the desire to improve, and the belief that every initiative can have a real impact. We invite you to get acquainted with Aurimas' experience and everyday life in the field of product development technologies.

How did your path at Vilnius Bread begin and what prompted you to do an internship here and later stay to work?

I would say that I have always liked to make confectionery products – muffins, baguettes, bread – everything related to the bread industry. While studying at Vilnius University of Applied Sciences , I did not have the opportunity to do an internship in this field, but after coordination with the Dean's Office, I was allowed to choose a place for a different field of practice. Since the Vilniaus Duona bakery was the closest to home, I thought – why not? I wrote to the company's general e-mail. Maybe after about twenty minutes a letter came to me: "Without problems, we can accept." It's fantastic! The very next day I had fully prepared documents.

What do you like most about your job and what are the most common challenges?

I like people and their attitude to work the most – everyone, regardless of their position, works responsibly and takes care of each other's safety. If someone sees that someone is working unsafely, they immediately warn them.

And there are not many challenges now, because I mainly work with documents. Maybe the only challenge is the BP3 project, but since I participate in this project only as an information manager, I cannot comment on it in more detail. However, I can say that this project will contribute to more efficient work and help save time.

What was the most memorable day at work when you felt particularly motivated or appreciated?

Such moments occur almost every day. Managers really notice the efforts – if you show initiative, offer ideas on how to improve the department, automate work, then you definitely receive both praise and support from both colleagues and managers.

One example is when I created a formula and colleagues really use it. It's nice to know that your work is not just for the sake of it, that it really helps. You can find support here from anyone, no matter what department you are from – you still support each other here, because you won't get anything without it.

What projects or initiatives have most involved and allowed you to grow professionally?

I would say that the most involved were the labelling projects of Canada and foreign markets in general – I had to delve into the requirements of different countries. We are also currently working on a project where the liquid component is changed to powder, which requires a lot of work and coordination with foreign colleagues. In addition, there are constant tests of raw materials, so this allows you to grow and learn. I could even say that it encourages the improvement of communication.

Have there been situations where you made a mistake but learned a valuable lesson from it and how did your team or managers react to it?

There were, there were such moments. There was a situation when, in a very hurry for labeling, I exchanged wheat flour for water in places. This is quite a mistake. The manager was not angry, but nicely invited him for a conversation and said that more attention is needed in the future. Since then, I have been checking everything more than once and I have asked my colleagues to review it. It really develops teamwork.

What opportunities do employees have to develop and grow in the company? Have you participated in any memorable trainings or internal events yourself?

We hold annual stages of competence development. Most often, English courses are chosen, but it is also possible to participate in marking training. Sometimes even specialized trainings are organized with embassies, for example, on US labeling requirements. Each department individually coordinates training as needed, so the possibilities are endless.

How do the team and collaboration with other departments contribute to work, everyday life or the implementation of new ideas?

Communication is everyday. We are constantly cooperating with the marketing department: we send them labels, they lay out the designs, and then they submit everything to us for inspection. Communication takes place with both finance and sales – here I communicate with a new department every day.

What do you think are the most important qualities to successfully work as a product development technologist?

I would say that the most important thing is not to be afraid to experiment and show initiative. Flexibility and patience are also very important. Sometimes processes take time, not everything depends on you, you need to be able to wait and work consistently.

What advice would you give to those who are considering working in Vilnius Bread or in the food industry in general?

The main thing is not to be afraid. Don't be afraid to write, try, ask. And because now there is a real need for new young talents. There is really nothing terrible about us – everyone is very friendly and positive. We are waiting!

Interns Gabrielė Staškevičiūtė and Ana Emilija Efron

VilniusTech Creative Industries Students