Alcester teen lands dream job at Legoland Discovery Centre
EVERYTHING has clicked into place for 17-year-old Oscar Goodhand-Wyatt.
The Lego-obsessed teenager from Alcester has just landed his dream job as an assistant master builder with the Legoland Discovery Centre in Birmingham.
Oscar beat people from across the region to the job after completing a three-stage application process which culminated in an invitation to take part in the Brick Factor, the Lego equivalent of the TV competition, The X Factor.
This live competition pitted the final 20 applicants against each other in a mega build-off… and Oscar proved slick with the brick to grab the prize, a dream job.
The new role involves make building fun and educational for Legoland visitors, leading workshops for younger children and, best of all, designing Lego displays.
And Oscar completed this despite earlier in his life being bullied for his autism.
He told the Herald he was just five years old when he started thinking he’d like a job working with Lego.
“When I was four, I discovered a giant box of Duplo at my nan’s and spent five hours digging in until I had to go home,” he said. “I do Lego every day, it’s all over my bedroom floor, lying over my bed, on my desk, it’s everywhere. I’ve always got a project on the go. I like the creative side of it, if I can think of it, I can build it in Lego.
“My shelves are full of models, I am thinking of asking for some more at Christmas.”
“I’m heavily obsessed with it!”
Oscar currently attends Bromsgrove College where he is studying Level 3 Games Design, so will be working part-time while he finished his studies. But, he said, he would happily stay working with Legoland “until the day I die”.
Oscar’s mum Jen Hopkins is delighted by his job.
“I am so proud of him and thrilled for him,” she told the Herald. “He has achieved so much by believing in himself and he continues to blow me away as he had many challenges to overcome in his life.”
Oscar had open heart surgery at six days old, and has been diagnosed with autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia and ADHD.
Jen said that he had been bullied at his previous schools because of his autism and had hardly left the house.
She added that he had struggled to find work experience because of his disabilities, but was provided an opportunity to volunteer at clubs by Alcester Town Council which boosted his self-belief to the point where he applied for the Lego job.
“He really is a true example that disabilities cannot hold you back if you believe in yourself and hold on to your dreams,” she added.
Oscar believes his neuro-divergence is a gift, not a barrier.
“I may see things slightly differently and can take a bit longer to learn things but that doesn't mean I’m less capable than others and I feel really blessed to have been offered this dream job, even with disabilities,” he said.
“Legoland have welcomed me regardless of my disabilities and I'd love to see the world become less judgemental and more welcoming to autistic people and those with ADHD and other learning disabilities.”
