Spreading His Wings: Salvo’s Adventure from Sicily to Ireland

It’s a snowy winter’s day when we meet Salvo, a Mobile Development Manager working for Aer Lingus. The Irish climate is a lot different to his native Sicily, but he doesn’t seem to mind the change. “In Sicily, in summer, you can’t stand the heat. It’s too much for walking!” he laughs.

So, what tempted this friendly Sicilian to make the move to Ireland? Well, it turns out it was some good old-fashioned peer pressure. He explains: “Two friends of mine who work in the IT industry had moved to Ireland. They were very happy with their life here and they always talked about the lifestyle and the people. I became more and more convinced to make this big leap and in the end, I did it.”

Flying the Nest

Now, Salvo works as a Mobile Development Manager for Aer Lingus, Ireland’s only 4 Star airline, where he is part of a team of ten. “I have two people working with me and groups that are working on iOS and Android,” he explains.

It’s an industry Salvo has always been drawn to. “I’ve always liked the aviation industry and I enjoy working for companies whose core business isn’t IT,” he notes. He also enjoys working near the airport as it gives him the opportunity to get very direct feedback.

The company culture at Aer Lingus is something that really appeals to him. He explains, “Here you feel the sense that the company wants to retain you and that is something that is unusual nowadays. They invest in you, try to improve your knowledge. They also offer you benefits that reflect your personal life.” It’s something Salvo feels is reflected in Irish society. He explains, “I would say Aer Lingus perfectly reflects Irish society and the Irish way of living. It’s not like working for a multinational company. Ireland is in Aer Lingus’ DNA and I love that warm Irish ethos is instilled everywhere across the airline.”

Family First

As a devoted husband and father of two, spending time with his family is at the top of Salvo’s priorities and he believes he has found a good work/life balance in Ireland. He reveals, “I lived in Rome before I came to Ireland and the work/life balance was very poor. Commuting was mental. When I came here I was immediately got able to spend more time with my family.”

He also appreciates the Irish culture. He explains, “Ireland is a place where people keep their own traditions alive while the society transitions to a more technological one. I love the fact that people ensure to have a work/life balance and really enjoy living.”

An Easy Transition

“As for the move over? It was relatively straightforward”, Salvo recalls. “The move was great. The only downside was that my family stayed in Italy for the first seven months of my time in Ireland, so I moved over alone to get everything set up. That really was the only difficulty at the beginning.” One thing he’s keen to note was that the bureaucratic part of the move was easy. “I arrived, got my PPS number and it was all set up,” he says.

Right now, Salvo is enjoying the new community he’s feels very much a part of. He notes, “There’s a big sense of community here. For example, when I moved into my current house there were neighbours coming in and introducing themselves. For us, that was very unusual. I think it comes from the traditional culture of Ireland. It’s good for the kids as they make friends easily.”

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