Live data from Hacker News

Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

ft.com

11–20 of 55 posts

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#11

Some absolute numbers for context. That's a scale I didn't expect. > Based in the remote Jutland town of Billund, Lego last month officially opened its digital hub in Copenhagen, adding to existing software centres in London and Shanghai. The group aims to employ 1,800 software workers by the end of 2023, triple the number it had at the start of last year, with about 400 of them based in Copenhagen.

Unrelated to your post - but, Billund is not remote. It's part of the socalled triangle area, one of the main geographical clusters of industry and transportation in Denmark.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Region_(Denmark)

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#12
post #7

Heard from a friend they’ve had trouble recruiting, as they pay well below market rate. Anyone know of any updates on that front?

anecdotally, I was approached for a lead role with Lego pre-pandemic.

Very high expectations for role/responsibilities and technical prowess. Very low remuneration on offer. And that was before rates and salaries shot through the roof post-pandemic.

Unless that's changed, and given the seeming lack of remote roles, I will be shocked if they meet this goal without most all new hires being junior outsourced/offshore resource.

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#13
Why does every company need to try to take over the world?

They make toy bricks, they actually make the freaking best toy bricks ever… Just stick to that!

I know I might be exceedingly idealistic, and as soon as MBAs and consultants take over a company things need to change, but have strong feelings towards LEGO and I am fine being idealistic here!

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#14
post #7

Heard from a friend they’ve had trouble recruiting, as they pay well below market rate. Anyone know of any updates on that front?

anecdotally, I was approached for a lead role with Lego pre-pandemic. Very high expectations for role/responsibilities and technical prowess. Very low remuneration on offer. And that was before rates and salaries shot through the roof post-pandemic. Unless that's changed, and given the seeming lack of remote roles, I will be shocked if they meet this goal without most all new hires being junior outsourced/offshore re…

LEGO is a bit used to paying skilled modelers lower than average because "you're being paid to play with LEGO" - perhaps they expect this would extend to software development.

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#15
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

anecdotally, I was approached for a lead role with Lego pre-pandemic. Very high expectations for role/responsibilities and technical prowess. Very low remuneration on offer. And that was before rates and salaries shot through the roof post-pandemic. Unless that's changed, and given the seeming lack of remote roles, I will be shocked if they meet this goal without most all new hires being junior outsourced/offshore re…

LEGO is a bit used to paying skilled modelers lower than average because "you're being paid to play with LEGO" - perhaps they expect this would extend to software development.

Probably more to do with the salary expectations in Denmark.

Most of Europe is for a multitude of reasons still expecting to treat software as a cost centre.

The expectation of an IC making as much as a Director of is unthinkable to HR, even though the market worldwide is shifting exactly in that direction.

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#18
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

LEGO is a bit used to paying skilled modelers lower than average because "you're being paid to play with LEGO" - perhaps they expect this would extend to software development.

Probably more to do with the salary expectations in Denmark. Most of Europe is for a multitude of reasons still expecting to treat software as a cost centre. The expectation of an IC making as much as a Director of is unthinkable to HR, even though the market worldwide is shifting exactly in that direction.

Don't know about Denmark, but I can confirm for Germany. I think the main reason is that in contrast to e.g. the US, software people don't innovate that much, the economy is not geared toward companies that have unlimited potential, and where having good software developers is a difference in billions if not trillions. Therefore they are valued a lot less. Would love to hear what you think the reasons are.

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#19

I wish they opened up their new technics control interface. I don't want to be bound to use their apps which they can stop supporting any time. Do won't buy the new technics sets until then :(

> new technics control interface

Which ones are you referring to specifically?

Re: Lego to expand online ambitions by tripling total of software engineers

#20
post #9

Isn't online lego just minecraft? My experience of lego in the real world, is just minecraft in the digital world. I'm not really sure what their edge is going to be here.

I guess the biggest differential would be that Lego exists in the real world, while Minecraft is 100% digital. If you build something digital with official parts from Lego, you can build that very same thing in real-life with the very same bricks. Doing something similar with Minecraft would require creating the parts yourself (or buying them in-officially).
Post reply on HN