About the "Bring Together Lithuania" Programme
Initiated and supported by the Kazickas Family Foundation since 2018, the "Bring Together Lithuania" programme annually invites young members of the diaspora to develop professional skills and nurture a close connection with Lithuania. Selected students and young professionals from the United States, Canada, Ireland, Turkey, and other countries come to Lithuania not only to gain professional knowledge and experience working in a variety of Lithuanian companies, but also to immerse themselves in Lithuanian culture and explore their roots.
This year, a group of students chose to explore the energy sector and joined Ignitis Group. Kipras and Zoe from Canada, along with Luca from the United States, completed their internships within the Group's Innovation and Ignitis Renewables O&M teams, whilst Mateo, also from the United States, gained experience in the field of finance. All participants are students seeking to build professional experience and gain an insight into the world of business, as well as individuals with family ties to Lithuania — connections which the "Bring Together Lithuania" initiative gave them a wonderful opportunity to explore. We asked the interns to share their experiences at Ignitis Group and reflect on their thoughts about Lithuania, their careers, the energy sector, and their personal plans.
Tell us how you decided to join the Bring Together Lithuania initiative and what is your relation to Lithuania.
Kipras: My connection to Lithuania comes through both of my parents who immigrated to Canada shortly before I was born. My sister and I were raised speaking Lithuanian at home and returning to Lithuania every few years to visit our family here. However, I had never stayed longer than two or three weeks and often felt more like a visitor than someone at home.
I first heard about the program from a friend who participated the previous year. The opportunity to reconnect with my Lithuanian roots while also working toward my future career is what ultimately motivated me to join BTLT.
Zoe: I felt it was a great opportunity to connect with my Lithuanian heritage and build professional skills at the same time. My grandparents escaped Lithuania as children during the Second World War. My mother always made it a point to stay connected to our heritage and remain actively involved in the diaspora community. Growing up, I participated in Toronto’s Lithuanian folk dancing group “Gintaras,” attended a Lithuanian camp in Vermont, “Neringa”, and participated in various community events.
This program also offers amazing opportunities professionally. It provided me with the opportunity to work in a field that I am interested in and relevant to my professional goals. This experience also offers insight on Lithuania’s work culture and how projects and teams work in a different market. This opportunity allows me to experience life in Lithuania firsthand, connect to my family history, and contribute to the country while gaining valuable professional experience.
Luca: I value my Lithuanian heritage and want to gain professional experience in Lithuania.
My mother’s side of the family is Lithuanian, and my great-grandparent left Lithuania during the Second World War. Since I was a child, my mother brought me to Ateitininkai camps in Dainava, Michigan. When I was in high school, I worked as a counselor and a lifeguard at the same camps I had attended throughout my youth.
The Bring Together Lithuania program offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a deeper connection with Lithuania beyond my involvement in summer camps.
After I finish my studies, I would like to leave the United States and work in Europe. The Bring Together Lithuania initiative gives me the opportunity to gain experience working abroad in a field related to my studies, which could be similar to the kind of work I plan to pursue in the future.
Mateo: I decided to join to further my connection with Lietuva, improve my professionalism, and make an impact at Ignitis Group. Having the opportunity to live and work in Lietuva has always been a dream of mine and something I have always been planning on doing, and something I would like to continue in the future.
My connection to Lietuva is through my mother’s side. My grandma immigrated to Cleveland just before World War II. Ever since I was born, I’ve gotten to hear stories of Lietuva through my grandma, and now I am forming my own memories and stories through the country that revolves around my family.
Which Bring Together Lithuania activity did you enjoy the most?
Kipras: My favourite Bring Together Lithuania activity so far was the hot air balloon ride over Trakai. Lifting off felt surreal, and watching the sun rise over the Lithuanian countryside, with the lake and castle below us, was unforgettable. I kept having to remind myself that there was nothing supporting the basket from below - it was hard to fully wrap my head around. It was a morning I’ll definitely never forget.
Mateo: The hot air balloon ride over Trakai. This experience was a once-in-a-lifetime activity that I would never have had the opportunity to do. We had to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to make it to Trakai just before the heat started to pick up. Being able to see Lietuva’s landscape from the sky was a surreal experience and something I’ll never forget.
Another activity that was amazing was going to Kernavė for Joninės. I’ve heard stories of Joninės in Lietuva and was so excited to be here for the national holiday. Jumping over the bonfire while everyone was singing and dancing is a memory I’m glad I was able to make.
Do you see yourself working in the energy sector in the future? Which areas are you most interested in?
Kipras: I can absolutely see myself working in the energy sector in the future. Before coming to Lithuania, I was also applying to power generation positions in Canada. It’s a field that will remain essential, especially as energy demand continues to grow, and new technologies emerge.
In Canada, a large share of electricity comes from renewable sources, particularly hydro power, which accounts for nearly 60% of generation. There is also a significant nuclear sector, with several SMR projects currently underway.
The area that interests me most is nuclear energy, as it seems to be undergoing major developments worldwide right now. At the same time, my experience at Ignitis Group has introduced me to the complexities of wind and solar energy, and I would definitely consider working in those areas as well.
Mateo: Being able to make an impact in such an important field is something I can see myself pursuing in the future. I’m especially interested in the buying and selling of energy assets, along with their development, because it combines strategy, market insight, and long-term planning. The idea of working behind the scenes to help grow and improve the renewable energy market is very appealing to me. My internship experience has also given me a better understanding of how a large company like Ignitis Group operates and has strengthened my motivation to explore future opportunities in the energy sector.
What's the strangest or most surprising thing you learnt about the energy sector that you had no idea about before starting?
Zoe: The most surprising thing that I have learned about the energy sector is how important baseload power is. As wind and solar production vary and are dependent on external conditions, a stable baseload of electricity is essential for reliability. This creates a challenge, balancing stability and the move towards clean energy, highlighting the importance of energy storage, backup generation, and grid flexibility.
Another surprising aspect of the energy sector is how energy policy decisions are influenced by geopolitics and national security considerations, particularly involving energy independence in Europe. Making decisions goes beyond technical and economic factors but are long-term efforts to ensure supply stability and reduce external dependency.
Luca: I was amazed at how much demand dictates the management of energy produced by wind and solar farms, to the point that sometimes these plants are turned off to avoid producing excess electricity. My internship coordinator even joked that on sunny days we should use the elevator to avoid overproduction.
I was also interested in how, in Lithuania, the challenge with renewable energy is not necessarily the lack of infrastructure to produce it, but rather the difficulty of storing it long term. I found the potential hydrogen storage systems that Ignitis Group may implement in the future particularly interesting.
Something you've learnt here that you'll take with you into your career.
Kipras: The most valuable takeaway from this internship has been experiencing what it’s like to work in a large corporate environment. It’s something I hadn’t done before, and it’s important to consider, as choosing whether to pursue a corporate career is a major decision after university.
It has been interesting to see how hundreds of people collaborate within a structured environment and how individuals contribute to large, multi-year projects.
Luca: At Ignitis Group, I learned that it is not the physical location of the workplace that defines your job experience; rather, it depends much more on the people you work with and your own curiosity and willingness to learn new things.
Everyone was very welcoming to me and my fellow interns. They often invited us to coffee breaks or lunch, and whenever we had questions about our work, they were eager to help. I also remember that our coworkers organised a tour of the Vilnius Cogeneration Plant as well as Elektrėnai for us on their own initiative. The passion everyone has for their work is extremely inspiring.
In my career, I will strive to find a workplace with a similar culture to that at Ignitis Group.
Do you have any insights on the main differences between career opportunities and job market in Lithuania and other countries?
Zoe: In Lithuania, there seems to be a stronger emphasis on bringing in young people early in their careers. In Canada, the market is more competitive at entry level and entry-level roles often require candidates to already have experience and be performance ready. From what I have seen so far in Lithuania, companies seem willing to train and mentor young talent as they recognise that investing in early career talent is essential for long-term growth.
Mateo: Compared to the United States, Lithuania has a huge emphasis on bringing young professionals to Lithuania to start their careers. While in the United States, it is common to see seasoned professionals get the role over younger individuals because of work experience, causing young people to search everywhere for a job opportunity.
What's your go-to way of picking up new things? And what keeps that curiosity alive?
Zoe: My go-to way of picking new things is to learn from the people around me. I find that most people are willing to share their knowledge on a topic enthusiastically, especially if they are passionate about the topic. If no one is available, I find looking for online videos on the topic is often a good starting point, then taking a deep dive into what specifically interests me through articles online. Having someone walk you through a calculus problem or a new song on the guitar, is the most effective and engaging way to learn something new.
To keep motivated and curious, I think it is important not to get caught up in the small details, but to look at the big picture. I often find myself frustrated and wanting to quit when I don’t understand something small, but taking a little break and coming back with a fresh perspective usually helps make the task feel more manageable.
Let‘s make it fun: if your experience with ”Bring Together Lithuania“ were a movie, what would its title be?
Luca: The movie title I would choose to describe my experience with Bring Together Lithuania would be "Lithuania's Got Power." I chose this title because of my internship at Ignitis Group, but also because of the energy and sense of unity I experienced throughout the country. Since my last visit, Lithuania has grown into an even more inspiring, friendly, and dynamic place, and this program gave me the chance to see that.
The Benefits of Internships — Not Just for Interns
Dovydas Janulaitis, Investment and M&A Project Manager and one of the "Bring Together Lithuania" internship coordinators, shared his thoughts on how professional internship initiatives benefit colleagues. "Having an intern in the team can offer a great deal to its members: junior colleagues get a taste of what it means to be in a managerial role and gain an understanding of how tasks are delegated, workloads are distributed, and deadlines are set. It is also very meaningful from a values perspective — the opportunity to share accumulated knowledge and experience, and to pass it on to the next generation of professionals, is genuinely inspiring and motivating."
Having worked alongside intern Mateo, Dovydas was also pleased to confirm that the internship period went very well: "Mateo handled the tasks he was given excellently — he showed a great deal of enthusiasm and, although he is still a student, already has a solid foundation of knowledge. He listens carefully to instructions and delivers results in line with agreed expectations; for his age, he demonstrates a remarkable level of professional maturity."
Karolis Mirinavičius, the Group's Head of Innovation Development, who contributed to the delivery of the initiative, also shared his reflections: "This is the second consecutive year that we have welcomed participants from the 'Bring Together Lithuania' programme into the Innovation Development team. Last year, we were joined by Laurynas from Chicago — a remarkably talented individual with exceptional programming skills and a strong command of Lithuanian, who helped us develop an optimisation model for hybrid wind and solar power plants.
This year, we had three young colleagues in the team — Kipras, Luca, and Zoe. They actively contributed to energy technology analytics, explored innovative solutions, and deepened their understanding of the challenges involved in maintaining solar and wind power plants.
It is a wonderful opportunity for both sides — for us and for the interns alike — to share knowledge, exchange cultural experiences, and showcase the modern solutions we are developing within a growing energy group."
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Interns bring fresh ideas and curiosity to their teams, and this shift in dynamic invites a new perspective on everyday working processes. It is also a wonderful opportunity to build meaningful connections with future professionals — and perhaps a way to attract great talent to the organisation further down the line. Who knows, perhaps our paths will cross again?
Thank you Kipras, Luca, Zoe and Mateo! We wish you the best of luck as well as endless curiosity to keep learning and exploring.
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