In a business where our people are equally as important as our products, we have decided to put some faces behind our expert team and capture the personalities behind our brand. We have started by catching up with Kersti Heido, Design Technician at our Ilkeston site in Derbyshire to find out more about her background and her role at DTE.
Background:
I’m originally from Estonia and only planned to come to England to complete my university degree at the University of Worcester. I graduated with a degree in Graphic Design joint with Illustration and have always had a keen interest in design.
After I graduated, I moved to Nottingham to pursue a career related to my studies. I saw an advert for a trainee designer job at DTE and applied. Entirely new for the timber industry, I began my current role as Design Technician in September 2018.
When I joined DTE at first, I did not know anything about construction and the amount of design that goes into building a house, but luckily everyone in the office were and still are helpful and knowledgeable, and I quickly gained confidence in the design aspect of my role.
Role at DTE:
As a design graduate, I’ve always had a keen eye for detail which helps me when I’m designing I-joists floors and various other timber engineered products for DTE. A typical working day for me involves catching up on emails, liaising with customers regarding enquiries and of course designing timber engineered floors. Any opportunity I get to learn or design a new product is exciting for me as it’s a chance to learn and improve my skills.
Working in the Timber Industry:
The industry and products are constantly changing, which keeps my job interesting and exciting. No two days are ever the same in the office.
As the timber industry is predominantly male, I’m proud to be working in a design office filled with other females. I would advise any female not to be discouraged or intimidated by the fact that the timber/ construction industry is male-dominated because there are a lot of exciting opportunities for woman and I’m a prime example of that!
Hobbies and Interests:
When I’m not at work, I like to spend a lot of time working on my art projects. I’ve also got a real passion for photography and have recently been interested in taking photos on film. I also like to watch movies, catch up on series and socialise with friends.