Just Imagine with Antoinette Eshun 💭
Antoinette is one of our Mould Designers. This is her first job and she's been with us for three years. Just imagine taking your first career steps at the heart of a supportive business, that’s focused on your development and encourages you to explore. It’s an opportunity that she’s really made the most of.
“You could say that what my team and I do is kind of important. We design the machines that make the LEGO® bricks. No machines, no bricks. There would only be lots of brightly coloured ideas. But without these, we’d have nothing to make. So it just goes to show that working here is all about collaboration and the part we all play has value - and we all feel valued for what we do. That’s how I feel anyway.
“I’ve worked here for three years now. I can’t compare this experience with other workplaces as this is the only one I’ve worked in. But when I tell friends about it, they tell me I’m lucky. This fits well with how it seems to me.
“I’ve found that I’m able to network and see what other people are doing in other parts of the organisation. It pays to have a curious mind. This means you get a wider perspective on how all our roles fit together and we end up with a fantastic product. It’s been great for my interpersonal skills and empathy, which have grown a lot. From a more technical viewpoint, I’ve honed my skills in critical thinking, analytics and creativity. This definitely helps with innovation.
"Being part of a team and being led by a manager that values quality is motivating for me too. What’s the point in doing something if you don’t set your sights on doing it better? Making sure we do things right and in the best way possible is a valuable learning experience. It’s a good habit to get into. There’s a definite sense of always being able to do things better and this attitude comes through in the products we create.
“There’s a certain kind of mindset that would enjoy what I do. People who love to take things apart and put them back together. I like to understand how the inner workings of something function; how things are made. There is a sense of excitement in the exploration and satisfaction in the achievement. I always feel joy when I learn something new.
“As Mould Designers, it often helps to imagine how the machines that make the elements will look through development and experimentation. Sometimes we need to be imaginative with our solutions. The key is to ensure the mould can actually be manufactured and run efficiently in production.
“This means we’re given a lot of creative freedom but within certain constraints - quality and sustainability being two of the key ones.
"We sometimes make mistakes, and I have actually found it a lot of fun to reach out to a colleague when I can’t seem to figure something out. The back and forth of this is an amazing way of learning. It’s collaboration by brainstorming and it’s a fun way to fix an issue. One could say, it’s arriving at the best solution via play.
"This way of working is essential in my role. As well as getting to a better outcome and making what we do really enjoyable, it feels like there’s a lot of care involved. For me as a person and for what we’re doing. If we focus on quality like this, we just keep on getting better. That can’t be bad, can it?
"When I finish work, I have the space to focus on the other things I enjoy in life. It’s a good balance. This plays out through our Best of Both policy too as it gives me some flexibility around working from home and being in the office. When we are on site, there’s all kinds of support groups and little communities too. There is always something in the company tying people together, whether it's interests, living in the same city, religion, gender identity, whatever. It makes for a useful way to make friends and is a big help in getting to know people when you first join. I think I chose really well for a first job."
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Join the LEGO® team today