Margo Vriesinga
Ursa Major
Berthoud, CO USA
"Money’s not worth it if it doesn’t make you happy."
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Margo's work combines: Engineering, Technology, and Building Things
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I started college with an undeclared major but was considering aviation maintenance while taking a related class. Someone made a joke that that's not really a field for women because there were no other women in my class. That same day, I walked into the office and told them to sign me up.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Aviation Maintenance Technology
Western Michigan University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I took an auto shop class in high school and ended up loving it.
2.
I initially went to college with an undeclared major and later chose to pursue aviation maintenance technology—I figured if I enjoyed fixing a car, working on planes could be fun too.
3.
I started my career as a maintenance intern for General Dynamics.
4.
From there, I built my career in aviation, working on private jets, doing small aircraft recovery, and working on research and development for the F-35 program.
5.
I eventually joined Ursa Major as a senior propulsion technician and have since moved up to lead propulsion technician.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
Fixing airplanes isn't really a job for women.
How I responded:
I started college with an undeclared major but was considering aviation maintenance while taking a related class. Someone made a joke that that's not really a field for women because there were no other women in my class. That same day, I walked into the office and told them to sign me up.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
During my second year of college, I was attacked by a dog and lost use of my right hand for about a year. It was hard because I wasn't allowed to miss any time in my specific college program. I had to tape a rivet gun to my hand in order to finish.