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By a stroke of luck, Věra Compelová found her way to SZÚ, where she was drawn to the diverse and complex role of Head of the Economic and Operations Department. Today, it has been ten years since she began contributing to the organization’s operations and to the development of the Jablonec nad Nisou site. In the interview, she shares what she enjoys most about her work, where she finds energy, and why she believes that testing and certification make the world a safer place.
After 22 years in the insurance industry, I wanted to take my career in a different direction. I started looking for opportunities in public administration, but none of the positions matched my idea of work that wouldn’t become a boring routine. Then I accidentally found out that SZU had opened a selection process for the position of Head of the Economic and Operations Department. Once I learned more about the role and its responsibilities, the opportunity to take on such a complex and diverse job intrigued me so much that applying became a real challenge for me. I went through the recruitment process, and today it’s exactly 10 years since I joined SZU.
I’m surrounded by great colleagues, and that makes any job more enjoyable. My work is extremely diverse – operational, investment, economic, HR, IT, and many other activities. Every day brings lots of tasks and also problems to solve, so we definitely don’t get bored, and that’s exactly what I enjoy.
What irritates me? When I’m happy that something has finally worked out – and immediately afterwards comes a cold shower.
In recent years, we’ve launched several smaller and larger projects, mostly related to renovations at our Jablonec nad Nisou site. I oversee them from the initial proposals to final implementation. I’m really pleased to see how our office and testing-lab environments are improving. My favorite is probably the new kitchen and dining room, which also serves as a meeting room with a café area. I’m also happy when colleagues join the various social events we organize from time to time – barbecues, parties, St. Nicholas events, volunteer days, or just group walks.
It’s hard to say. I would very much like my work to contribute to the long-term and sustainable development of SZU. It’s important and motivating for me to ensure not only safety but also a good environment and supportive services for our team of testing specialists. I work for a company with strong traditions, and most employees have devoted a significant part of their lives to the Engineering Test Institute – I value that immensely, and thanks to them, I’m here too.
No day is the same, because my responsibilities are very diverse. And that’s exactly what I like. Routine would not suit me at all. I often plan what I want to do each day, but unexpected situations force me to react quickly and flexibly – and suddenly my whole plan changes.
I can’t think of my own right now, but I always remember the sayings of our Hanička Šmardová: “There is no such thing as ‘it can’t be done’” or “Let’s make it nice so that we enjoy our work.”
I try to avoid serious mistakes. Fortunately, there hasn’t been one that would knock me off my feet – everything has always worked out in the end.
I do various sports activities or go for a motorcycle ride to clear my head. I love hiking, especially high-altitude mountain hiking.
A good cup of coffee and a quick chat with a colleague or friend who has a positive spirit.
Testing and certification is a broad field that makes the world a safer place. It is supported by the legislative framework of the EU and individual states and primarily verifies the safety of products entering the market. Unfortunately, some products are being removed from standards or mandatory testing, shifting responsibility onto consumers to decide whether to buy a product without independent safety verification. This concerns me especially in the area of children’s products. I definitely recommend that people pay attention to safety and prefer products that have been properly tested – ideally by us at SZU.
Thank you for the interview!
The SZU Team
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