Standing Tall for Herself, the Future: How Eva Flores is Changing Spirit

As a young girl from Mexico growing up in "The Air Capital of the World," Eva Flores found the sprawling Spirit complex both inspiring and intimidating.

Driving past, looking from the outside-in, Eva knew she wanted to be part of what was happening inside. Because of her background, though, she felt getting a job in aerospace was completely out of reach.

But her history and community are what initially gave her the tools she needed to get her where she is today.

"I grew up being told to work hard and keep my head down. The work ethic stayed with me, but keep my head down? No. If I can do more, why not do more?" Eva shares. "My role model has always been my grandmother. She was ahead of her time because she was the head of the household and worked outside the home when women didn't really do that. What she's done is inspiring."

From the factory floor to a salaried position, Eva leaned heavily on her grandmother's legacy. It motivated her to pursue a career in aviation while paving the way for others like her.

Growing in aviation

Eva didn't let the perception that Spirit was "unattainable" stand in her way. She kept an eye on job ads, eventually applying for a position through Schenker, which was hiring for positions embedded within Spirit. Eva got the job, and after working for a year, interviewed for a fabrication position with Spirit. She landed the position and threw herself into it.

She worked the second and third shifts. She worked overtime. And she found ways to do her job more efficiently.

"A lot of the equipment and tools I was working with were built for people with bigger frames than me," Eva remembers. "For instance, I couldn't move the chem mill racks by hand and had to use a drill. Because I fought for them, there are now drills all along that line. Even to have a step stool provided so I could reach things or get the crane to lower more so I could reach the top of a part—I did these things to make the job more efficient and to make the floor more accessible for other people my height and other girls like me."

And throughout her four years on the floor, her managers took note of her tenacity.

"It takes a good leader to notice potential in their employees," Eva says. "In my faith, we believe people are put in your path so that when you don't want to push yourself, they're there to say, 'Okay, push her, push her now because that's what she needs.'"

Her coworkers' support and Eva's own hard work paid off when she was encouraged to apply for—and was then offered—a position as a material handler, a job off the shop floor.

"For them to offer me that position felt so great. It felt like they were saying I'm smart enough to do this, I'm capable, and that I can continue to learn and develop. It felt good to be seen in that way," she recalls.

Now Eva holds a salaried logistics position and is pursuing an associate degree in logistics and supply chain management, with financial support from Spirit's tuition reimbursement program.

"I dropped out of high school and got my GED at 22. Coming from the background I come from, where college or higher education is not a possibility if you can't pay for it yourself, this program made going back to school possible," Eva says.

With all she's accomplished, Eva isn't done yet. When asked what her career aspirations are, she laughs, saying that she doesn't want to be CEO, but she'd like to be a C-suite executive.

"Why not shoot for that? I mean, it might not ever happen, but why not shoot for the stars?" Eva laughs. It's because of Eva and others with similar mindsets that enable Spirit to grow—in both the work and culture.

Honoring Hispanic peoples and cultures

The border town where Eva came from was home to many cultures and peoples. She hopes Spirit continues to emulate that diversity in future decisions and direction.

"I see more people with similar backgrounds to me compared to when I first got hired," she says. "There are more girls who look like me, who have parents who don't speak English, who understand that family is really important, and I think that is so cool. Every culture has something to bring to the table. We can all work together and learn from each other."

She's also proud that so many women have leadership positions within Spirit. It's empowering to Eva because it tells her Spirit is not only considering other cultures but women, as well, and is supporting their growth within the company.

One way Spirit encourages an inclusive environment is through its employee business resource groups, or EBRGs. Eva is a member of ALAS, an EBRG named for the Spanish word for wings. The group strives to build a culture that fosters belonging, inclusion and pride and is focused on attracting, retaining and developing Hispanic and Latino employees.

"In Hispanic culture, family is everything. And I think that's what Spirit needs—to not be divided but to become more of a whole," Eva says. "We bring togetherness and a hard work ethic to the table."

Blazing the trail for the next generation

From the outside looking in, the Spirit complex felt out of reach to Eva. But now she's been in almost every building and is part of moving aerospace forward. Eva wants to see other women—Hispanic and beyond—in aviation and has a pearl of wisdom to share:

"Push it. Don't let comments hold you back. Don't be intimidated because you will be the only girl standing there," Eva says. "I think of my own daughters. Would I want them to stand tall or to shy away? I'd want them to stand. If I can do it, you can do it too."

To learn more about ALAS and Spirit's other EBRGs, visit the DE&I initiatives page.