Lufthansa Technik opens training centre in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal

In preparation for its upcoming facility in Portugal, Lufthansa Technik has opened a new training centre in Santa Maria da Feira, located approximately 35 kilometres south of Porto. The centre welcomed its first cohort of 18 employees for Lufthansa Technik Portugal on Monday, June 2.

Situated in the ‘Perm’ industrial park, around nine kilometres from the future facility’s location, the training centre comprises two buildings. One building is currently being used for introductory sessions and theoretical lessons, while the other will soon be equipped for hands-on practical training. These sessions will be overseen by qualified and experienced Lufthansa Technik staff from Hamburg. The site, leased for three years, includes several seminar rooms and modern office space with fully equipped workstations.

Lufthansa Technik, one of the world’s leading providers of technical aircraft services, announced in December its intention to invest a triple-digit million-euro sum in a new Portuguese site. Construction is set to begin next year in the ‘Lusopark’ industrial area of Santa Maria da Feira. The 54,000 m² production facility will focus on the repair of engine parts and aircraft components, eventually creating around 700 jobs. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2027.

Since the project’s announcement, 25 employees have already been recruited, including roles such as Human Resources Manager, Production Manager and Tool & Equipment Engineer. A further 20 hires are planned before the year’s end. The company continues to recruit technicians, quality engineer auditors, and additional human resources specialists. Interest has been high, with an average of 150 applicants per vacancy.

As Chairperson of the Board at Lufthansa Technik Portugal, Volker Magunna personally welcomed all new employees at the training centre on Monday, together with Ricardo Arroja, CEO of the Portuguese trade and investment agency AICEP (Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal), and Amadeu Albergaria, Mayor of Santa Maria da Feira.

To sustain this momentum, Lufthansa Technik Portugal aims to build strong partnerships with educational institutions across the country. It is already collaborating with Cenfim, the national vocational training centre specialising in metal, metalworking, and electromechanical industries, to support the selection and training of future technical staff.