In preparation for the opening of a new facility in Portugal, Lufthansa Technik has opened a training centre in Santa Maria da Feira, about 35km south of Porto, welcoming the first 18 employees of Lufthansa Technik Portugal.
The training centre, leased for three years, is in the Perm industrial park. This is around 9km from Lufthansa Technik Portugal’s planned new facility, which is expected to become operational by the end of 2027.
The training centre consists of two buildings: one is now hosting introductory events and theoretical lessons. In the other, practical training units will begin in the coming weeks. These will be supervised by, among others, qualified and highly experienced Lufthansa Technik employees from Hamburg, Germany. The training centre features several seminar rooms and modern office space with fully equipped workstations.
Lufthansa Technik’s plan to invest in a new facility in Portugal was announced last December. The facility will be located in the Lusopark industrial area of Santa Maria da Feira; construction is due to begin next year. The 54,000m² production facility will be used for repairing engine parts and aircraft components. The investment creates approximately 700 jobs.
Since announcing the project, Lufthansa Technik Portugal has recruited 25 people, filling initial positions such as human resources manager; production manager; and tool and equipment engineer. An additional 20 employees are expected to be hired before the end of this year. The company is actively seeking technicians, quality engineer auditors and further human resources specialists. On average, the company has received approximately 150 applications for each position advertised so far.
To ensure this interest continues in the coming years, Lufthansa Technik Portugal aims to establish partnerships with nationwide educational institutions. It is already collaborating with Cenfim (Centro de Formação Profissional da Indústria Metalúrgica e Metalomecânica). This national vocational training centre specialises in the metal, metalworking and electromechanical industries, and supports the technical selection process for mechanics.
As chairperson of the board at Lufthansa Technik Portugal, Volker Magunna personally welcomed all new employees at the training centre at an inauguration ceremony on 2 June, together with Ricardo Arroja, CEO of the Portuguese trade and investment agency AICEP, and Amadeu Albergaria, Mayor of Santa Maria da Feira.
“Today is a special day for Lufthansa Technik Portugal, one that will go down in the company’s history – and that even before construction of the actual production facility has begun,” said Magunna. “It is a great feeling to welcome our first 18 colleagues as well as our guests from politics and business at the newly opened training centre. This milestone vividly demonstrates the pace and commitment with which we are advancing this major project. I am excited about everyone who wants to shape and build Lufthansa Technik Portugal together with us. This also applies to our partners at AICEP and the city of Santa Maria da Feira, who have welcomed us with open arms and have provided strong support from the very beginning through an intensive process.”
