I moved from office work into design and continue designing at the front line while raising children. F has supported company design since the drafting-machine era and now looks toward the next 100 years with 3D design. We asked this pair with different paths about design work and working at MUTSUMI.
Employee I: My first impression was that there were many tall people (laughs). At the time, people from the company and my cohort often went out or had drinks together.
Employee F: I grew up in an environment with mostly men, so I thought I might feel nervous at first—but that is a joke (laughs).
Employee I: I started in the office role I wanted, in an era before Excel was available, and totaled figures with a calculator. In my ninth year at the company, the President asked whether I would try design. Because I had studied a general curriculum, I learned tolerances and drawing interpretation from level 1. A drawing I can now complete in 30 minutes took 3–4 hours then. Recently, I have also learned 3D scanning and can perform inspections.
Employee F: I was assigned to design immediately after training. It was just when we were moving from hand-drawn drafting to CAD, and I remember a task that takes seconds today taking 1 full day then. I am where I am because I could openly ask questions and people around me helped.
Employee I: It was the first blanking die I designed alone. I still remember the tension of the first tryout and the “clank” of the press. I was relieved that it worked without breaking, and I felt how deep die-making is: no matter how careful you are, a die is never perfect from the start.
Employee F: In year 7, I was assigned to a customer's production-engineering department. The expectations and pressure were great, and I developed a stronger sense of responsibility. That experience early in my career remains among my greatest assets.
Employee I: I thought, “Let’s try it first; if it does not work, we can stop then.” There were many times I nearly gave up. But when I thought about life after my children grew up and became independent, I realized I wanted to work at this company with colleagues who knew what they wanted to do. Because the work lets me feel technological progress close at hand, I also feel life is more enjoyable when I have work to do.
Employee I: I try not to demand perfection and tell myself, “If it does not work after doing this much, that is how it is.” Children's illnesses and school responsibilities often prevent things from going as planned. I do not compare myself with others; I look for what I can do now. I can balance both because of the support of those around me.
Employee F: Design does not involve heavy physical work, so gender makes little difference. I did not need special support. Children’s events and sudden illness affect everyone, so I tried not to give people around me the impression that this was something special.
Employee F: The more new ideas we add because we want to make a design better, the more failures can occur. The challenge is to keep trying while balancing delivery, quality, and cost. That is both the challenge and what makes design interesting. I try to support my team’s mental well-being, with the view that a failure becomes useful next time once we learn from it.
Employee F: This is a company where you can find what you want to do. The management team takes the lead in supporting you in making it happen, not just your direct supervisor.
Employee I: We have state-of-the-art equipment. Use it with us and help build the future.
Please feel free to contact us even if you are simply at the stage of learning about the work and the company, regardless of whether a position is currently open.
