GE Aerospace Quick Six with Tomáš Wirth

From working parents to military veterans, GE Aerospace would not be the company it is today without its employees. We created “Quick Six” to celebrate our diverse talent by asking employees six questions that uncover the unique ways that they contribute to GE Aerospace and the world.

For this edition of GE Aerospace’s Quick Six, we sat down with Tomáš Wirth, a Wash Line Operator based in Prague, Czech Republic, to celebrate and bring awareness to International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Wirth, who is deaf, has worked for GE Aerospace for six years. 

Could you briefly tell us about yourself?

I graduated from a secondary school in mechanical engineering, which was very difficult during my studies (1989 – 1993) because I had health limitations. However, I was not afraid of this obstacle and graduated from high school with excellent grades. 

I have two children. My son is also deaf, but he has had an implant since birth and is therefore able to function without restrictions and is studying at the Faculty of Textile Engineering at university in the field of nanotechnology. My daughter was born without any health restrictions. Since she was born into a family of deaf parents, she is referred to as CODA – Children Of Deaf Adults. This is a specific group that grows up in two worlds – the world of the deaf and the world of the hearing.

How do you communicate with each other at home?

These children tend to be bilingual – they communicate in sign language at home and in Czech when they are away from home.

How long have you been working with us and where did you work before?

I have been working at GE Aerospace for six years. Before that, I worked in aircraft production, in Latecoere.

How do you adapt to new environments?

Adapting to a new workplace is not always easy. I manage by reading directives, procedures, or watching what happens directly at the workplace. Lip reading also helps me. Health restrictions prevent me from doing some of the work due to the health and safety conditions set by legislation. I can't drive a vehicle, operate a crane or a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine. I have also worked at companies where there were several deaf people, which was great because the employees in the company knew the basics of sign language. 

I would like to spread awareness about the community of people with hearing impairments and spread the knowledge of the finger alphabet, or encourage people to learning basic words within sign language.

How has GE Aerospace accommodated and helped you with your disability? How does your team communicate and help?

The company has helped me thanks to technology. Thanks to the cell phone, I can communicate very quickly and easily with my colleagues through messages and text editors. Lip-reading in the Czech language is very difficult, and I prefer not to do it to avoid mistakes. The written form is much better for me – it is more precise. Unfortunately, the knowledge of the finger alphabet is not very widespread in the Czech Republic. I also communicate through chat on the monitors of our computers at the workplace.

Why do you like working at GE Aerospace?

I came to work at GE Aerospace by chance. My former colleague recommended the company to me because employees were being laid off at my previous job due to the termination of the assembly of a certain product. I found out that GE Aerospace was searching for employees and because it was in aviation, which I really like, I decided to try it. I have had a relationship with aviation since childhood when I was involved in making model aircraft and building with LEGO® bricks. 

What does International Day of Persons with Disabilities mean to you?

International Day of Persons with Disabilities means that there is great support for inclusion and the contribution of people like me to society. I am deaf and belong to society and it is important to spread this awareness further. I am glad that I can support you all in spreading awareness of the deaf community in our society.