Adam Wolshire
When Adam Wolshire received his first LEGO set at the age of 4, he didn’t know that childhood fascination would turn into a lifelong passion. Now 22 years old, he spent several months abroad last spring in Billund, Denmark, completing an internship with LEGO – a dream come true.
“I had access to every brick in production,” Wolshire says. “Eight-year-old me was screaming every time I was in that building.”
Wolshire graduated from Dublin Jerome High School in 2021 before entering the Industrial Design in the Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP) program at the University of Cincinnati. Currently, he is entering his fifth and final year in the program.
When Adam met LEGO
Wolshire’s passion for LEGO began when his cousins introduced him to his first LEGO set.
“The only reason that I liked (LEGO) was because my cousins liked it. … but then I really latched on to it, and I took it with me forward. I can’t explain why I like it. It’s just been a part of my life for so long,” he says.
After years of playing with LEGO as a kid, Wolshire realized that LEGO design was a career and began telling people that’s what he would do when he grew up.
“I never was like, ‘Oh, this is going to be a realistic career,’” Wolshire says.
Only when someone suggested he go into industrial design did he think it would be possible to pursue his dream job.
A shared passion
Adam Wolshire
Located in the small town of Billund, Denmark, LEGO’s headquarters is where the company was first founded in 1932. The design internship is offered only two times a year, with an average of 10 to 15 interns each cycle.
Wolshire worked with other interns as well as LEGO employees, creating new builds that represented new concepts and pitches.
Getting to work alongside a team of fellow creatives and LEGO enthusiasts was a highlight for Wolshire. He met a lot of designers he’d looked up to for years and even worked alongside them.
“I don’t really think I’ve ever worked in a place where the people care (as much) about what they do, as much as they do at LEGO,” he says. “You have to move to work there, and it definitely takes dedication to want to move that far from home. So, you have to be passionate about what you do.”
His stay away also had some fun outings as well, including visiting museums and restaurants in nearby cities, such as Vejle, Kolding and Aarhus, as well as regular trips to LEGOLAND.
Adam Wolshire
Looking ahead
After graduating from the University of Cincinnati, Wolshire hopes to move to a city to pursue a career in industrial design. To him, it’s important to experience a variety of jobs before settling down, and he wants to experience living in a bigger city.
When asked if he still wants to work for LEGO after his internship, Wolshire remains sure of his passion.
“I definitely still want to work for LEGO someday. I don’t know if it’s something I want to do right after school, because it’s a lifestyle shift, for sure,” he says. “But it seems like a great place to settle down.”
Elise Conrad is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
