GHI AWARDS PROFILE
training to employees bene ts the company
and the employee. Employees can work full
time hours, should they choose to do so,
and as a result this reduced turnover and
headcount,” she says.
anks to Maksymchuk’s initiative, ATS
had a workable solution to an endemic
issue. For this, ATS and a panel of toplevel
industry judges agreed that she was
deserving of the Rising Star accolade.
Rewarding eff orts
ATS Regional Director, Eastern
Canada, Pierre Herrbach, who works
closely with Maksymchuk, made the
initial internal nomination. “So ya
winning the Rising Star Award makes
me incredibly proud,” he says. “I am
thrilled that her talent and work ethic
have been recognised and rewarded by
industry leaders around the world. She
is very active in our operation, always
motivator to our team members.”
for the reward, too. “I am very humbled to
win this award knowing how many great
people work in this industry. A er being in
the business for only a short period of time,
it proves that dedication and hard work
pays o ,” she remarks.
Her career in the industry was not by
design, but by chance, she continues. “I
have been with ATS for almost six years.
When I rst joined ATS back in 2014, it
was just supposed to be a fun summer job.
I never expected to make a career out of it.
I went to school for something completely
unrelated to the aviation industry and
working for ATS was just going to be my
way of killing time during the summer
break, but here I am, six years and three
positions later,” she enthuses. “Sometimes
you need to try di erent things, to
understand what you really want.”
Finding a passion
Despite her incidental route into the
industry, Maksymchuk has found a real
a nity with the job and all that the business
of ground handling o ers.
“My favourite part about my job is the
fact that we technically do the same thing,
but it is di erent every day. You never know
what kind of challenge can be thrown at
you,” she asserts. “ is industry is very
unpredictable.”
Commercial aviation naturally
comprises a varied diet, allowing for a
“I am thrilled that her
talent and work ethic
have been recognised
and rewarded by industry
leaders around the world”
Pierre Herrbach
Regional Director, Eastern Canada, ATS
diverse range of responsibilities, she goes on
to say. “I love joining my team, either on the
passenger service side or on the ramp, and
just working alongside them.”
Working in ground handling has
brought about some truly rewarding
experiences, too. “I have a lot of good
memories from the past six years, but
something that stands out the most would
be all the travelling that I was able to do in
my time as a Safety and Training O cer. I
was able to learn from di erent stations and
see what I could bring back and apply it in
my own operation.”
As well as making all-important
memories, Maksymchuk has learned
valuable lessons from each of her positions
within ATS. “When I started as an agent, I
learned the importance of team work. As
a passenger you do not fully understand
how many people need to come together
in order to get a single ight out. As a
Maksymchuk and her Copa Airlines team
(above); ATS’ Ingrid Braeuninger accepts
Sofi ya’s award in Amsterdam (below)
supervisor, I learned responsibility. I was no
longer just responsible for myself but was
responsible for leading my entire team,” she
states. “When I became a Safety & Training
O cer, I learned patience. We have people
that come from di erent backgrounds and
learn di erently: you need to be patient and
nd a di erent approach that will work with
that agent. Lastly, as a Station Manager I
have learned how important it is to delegate
and follow up. You cannot do everything on
your own,” she asserts.
Aviation advocate
When asked what alternative line of work
she might have pursued were she not in
this sector, Maksymchuk believes she
would have followed her education down
the obvious path. “I studied Business
Management in University, with a focus on
Accounting and Global Management, so I
would probably be working in one of those
elds,” she says.
To someone considering a career
in ground handling, she o ers only
encouragement. “It’s a very dynamic
industry with the ability to always try new
things and challenge yourself to do better. If
you are looking for a 9-5 job, this industry
it not for you,” she warns. But this diversity
is precisely what she so enjoys about the
sector. “I believe ground handling is the
future of the aviation industry. When
working for a ground handling company,
you learn how to simultaneously manage
di erent airlines and their operation, which
makes it more exciting and challenging.”
Her enthusiasm for the future of her
career with ATS is in equal measure – and
her ambitions clear. “I hope to continue
growing within the industry and do my
part in ensuring ATS is the best ground
handling service partner in the business,”
she concludes proudly. ghi
looking for ways to improve, and a great
Maksymchuk expresses her gratitude
18 February 2020 Ground Handling International