Inspiring Women in Engineering

Sophia is a Project Manager at our factory located in Jaixing, Zhejiang province in China and has been with the team for six years. Her current role involves exploring and implementing the automation opportunities in the packing and production area of the factory.

“I was inspired by my father who is an engineer, so he is why I work in operations engineering. When I was between seven and 10 years old (in a time before computers!), I remember him working at his desk drafting technical drawings during the evening time. When I woke up in the morning, I would always see the drawings on his desk (I understood years later why people call design concepts for “blueprints” because designs are originally drafted on blue paper). Because my father was an engineer, he was able to disassemble household appliances, and he fixed them while I was sitting next to him watching. He would also introduce the mechanisms behind the appliances to me. I found it fascinating.

“It’s now my role to inspire. I have a four-years old daughter who is a super fan of cars. My advice is to not be limited by any stereotypes. Be brave and be curious to chase your passion!”

Doina Gumeniuc is a Senior Trainer in Mould Engineering in Billund, Denmark. Her engineering inspiration stems from Niels Bohr’s work in quantum physics.

“I train colleagues who create the machines that make LEGO bricks. It’s a great role because I get the freedom to be creative. There’s a ‘how-to’ theory part to my role. But I also find ‘learning through play’ incredibly valuable. My motto is: learning shouldn’t be boring and frustrating. So it helps that I’m encouraged to experiment and continuously improve.

“For me, the LEGO Group is a place of opportunities. Learning is central to this, and I am encouraged to continually learn in parallel with my role. The outcome helps me grow as a technical specialist and enables me to further improve training. Beyond that, who knows? All I know is that I’m excited by the possibilities.”

Irlanda Castillo is a Mould Maintenance Specialist and has spent 10 years with us in Monterrey, Mexico. Her engineering inspiration is Katherine Johnson who calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepard’s space mission.

“I take care of the moulds we use to create LEGO bricks. Me and my team are like mould doctors. I turn data into graphics to support smarter decisions that help to avoid damages. Once we’ve detected the problem, we create a team to investigate the cause and solve it with a variety of tools.

“One of the best aspects of working here is sharing experiences. We work on projects and solve issues with colleagues from other sites. We’re always developing different methods to overcome obstacles and optimise resources. So it’s satisfying. The culture here also means we’re all engineers together. We’re treated with equality and respect. Everyone here is. This makes a big difference I think.”

Laura Chávez is our Moulding Operations Director Monterrey, Mexico. So she’s in charge of producing every shape and colour of LEGO brick imaginable and has been with us 10 years.

“Getting LEGO bricks made on time and in line with our quality standards is what I do. Next, they are decorated and packed to reach our many customers around the world. It’s also my job to make sure we all work in a safe environment.

“Overcoming challenges demands this - it’s how we learn. The LEGO Group makes sure we all feel safe, appreciated and equipped to do the best job possible.

“Women inspire me. My mom was one of the few women engineers in her field. I liked hearing about how she analysed and solved problems. I also see how the women in Operations here create an impact and open the door to others. Right now, my inspiration is my daughter. I want her to know that everything is possible and she can have a positive impact on the lives of many people.”

Noemi Borbath has been with us for over 11 years and is based in Billund Denmark. She’s a Senior Training Specialist and has a background in Environmental Engineering.

"I joined the LEGO Group as a graduate. I spent 18 months rotating through three departments: Environment, Health & Safety, Value Chain Innovation and Part Design Quality. After the programme, I moved to Consumer Perceived Quality in Corporate Quality. Here I was a go-to person for the Design organisation for quality issues. I also developed quality-related training and presentations.

"Working here is like being a part of a huge, fun family. You can learn so much and meet so many different people: unicorns, magicians and all the good cops. But one of the biggest motivators for me is the product. It’s easy to forget how much joy we bring to so many children and adults. If I do, I just pick up a box and get on the floor and build.”