Unlocking potential. Brick by brick. Meet Arthur. 🔓
For Arthur, working for LEGO® Education is a dream fulfilled. It began in high school and, via starting his own small business, he’s been with us now for six years. It’s been quite a journey. We start by asking how it feels to realise his ambition:
“There is no simple answer to that. I guess the most fulfilling thing about working here is the opportunity to connect. Education is a two-way street. Speaking for myself, I learn so much by working closely with students. They teach me. This is important. If we listen to the feedback that we get, this opens up so many more problems to solve and avenues to explore.
“Keeping an open mind and being prepared to explore is a crucial part of what we do. I know this from my own experience. As a designer with hands-on experience, I was able to draw on what I knew. When my father lost his job back home in Brazil in 1997, things were tough. But necessity is the mother of invention, right? You go to what you know. And what I knew enabled us to start our own business, making yo-yos.”
Today, Arthur is one of our Senior Design Innovation Partners. It’s a challenging role which he very clearly enjoys. But what does it actually mean in practise?
“My role in a nutshell is all about finding new ways to use LEGO Bricks to play and learn. It may sound strange but I like to think with my hands. Each of us has their own way of thinking; our own unique way of learning. There is no right or wrong in this respect. It is what it is. My task is to create solutions that answer this very complex and crucial question.
“It’s my job to find inventive, user-friendly ways to make learning easy enough - and sufficiently engaging - so all students and teachers can get the most from doing so. It’s all about constantly reinventing different ways to put this incredibly powerful tool into the hands of people. Then they can use it to grow; to realise their potential by finding out what it gives them the potential to do, to build, to create.”
Arthur’s enthusiasm for what he does is infectious. We wonder what drives him. What matters most to him. Where does this passion come from?
“Oh that’s easy - working here means I get to evolve how education is delivered. That’s quite something. There is always a different way to look at something - how we learn is no exception. We’re all different. So it makes sense that we all see the world differently. We experience things in different ways. Education is the exact same thing. We need to keep finding alternatives - different and better ways for curious minds to explore their potential. It’s like coming up with new keys all the time to release what’s locked inside. That’s exciting.
“If you can make something tangible, if you can visualise and engage with a challenge, this provides a strong base on which to build. You have something to work with. You have something ‘actionable’; you have something to tinker with - and tinkering is fun.
This sounds very much like why we exist as a business. To appeal to curious minds and give them the tools to explore wherever their imagination leads them.
“Oh yes. Very much so. This is the beauty of play. It makes it easier to share your challenge and involve other people. It’s the key to interaction so everyone can contribute.
“For instance, at work, when I need a new LEGO Element that doesn’t exist, I normally go immediately to the maker space and try to make a prototype. I cut, glue and paint normal bricks to see if that new piece makes sense. I have the freedom to test new ideas.
“This is what I love about what I do. I get to trigger innovation. This is my job. When I see students that are inspired to suggest and makes changes themselves, it’s a magical moment. There is endless potential in our products. But you have to inspire curious minds to unlock this. When they do, well, there are no limits to what can be achieved.”
Just imagine inspiring change in education.
Now make it real.