Name: Sergii Tytar
Profession/Industry: Electromechanical Engineer
Current U.S. Position and Company Name: Robotics Technician at Versabuilt
Country of Origin: Ukraine
Education: MS Electromechanical Engineering, National Aviation University in Kyiv, Ukraine
First Job in U.S.: Robotics Technician at Versabuilt
Story Author: Lori Ode
Sergii Tytar, an Electromechanical Engineer, worked in the aviation and automotive industry in Ukraine for over 20 years. As a lead engineer, he helped reconstruct the engine control system of the world’s largest aircraft.
In 2016, political and religious unrest caused Sergii to leave his job and move, with his family, to Boise, Idaho. Soon after arriving, Sergii joined Global Talent Idaho and took advantage of everything the program offered. He worked with his advisor to develop a professional resume, write cover letters, and navigate engineering relicensing requirements. He also practiced interviewing with local professionals at a GTI Career Summit, including BSU Electrical Engineering Professor Dr. Elisa Barney Smith.
Although Sergii had years of high-level experience in Ukraine, when he started working with GTI he realized that he knew nothing about job searching in the U.S. “GTI revolutionized my mind. Interviewing, cover letters, good US resume—everything was new. I filled my mind like a baby! GTI led me step by step to my goal.”
Global Talent Idaho worked together with Stacey Shegrud at the Department of Labor to set up an electrical programming internship for Sergii at Versabuilt. He had two interviews before he was offered the internship position, and credits the GTI training, practice, and preparation as key to his success.
Although Sergii had no experience programming at a professional level, nor had he worked in English speaking environments, he was confident in his electrical knowledge and ability to learn, and was up for the challenge. He studied programming in his free time and now has a certificate in Robotics.
Very quickly, Sergii assumed new responsibilities with Versabuilt. His willingness to take on challenges and learn new things paid off and at the end of the internship Versabuilt offered him a full-time position as a Robotics Technician. Asked if the job is a good fit for him, Sergii replies, “I am doing what I like to do. I can grow and work in new areas like programming, software, and robotics.”
Sergii continues to utilize classes offered by GTI to become more fluent in English. He recently attended a writing class where he worked with a personal English coach, GTI Volunteer Dunja Subasic, each Monday.
What does Sergii appreciate most about his new life in the United States? “Safety, calm, and the ability to plan for the future and for financial investments like mortgages.”
Sergii is very thankful for the assistance he received, and continues to receive, from Global Talent Idaho. “They do a great job. They are amazing!” he says.
