When I tell people I worked in a factory for more than twenty years, some of them think it's a closed chapter, something to leave behind. For me it's the opposite. Much of what I do today I learned there, between one shift and the next, often without noticing. If I had to pick three things, they would be these.
1. Punctuality as a form of respect
On the shop floor, if you arrive late, someone else has to cover your place. You learn it fast: punctuality isn't only about you, it's about the people who are counting on you.
Today it's the same. If I set up a meeting with someone, that person has arranged their day to be there. Arriving on time, preparing beforehand, calling back when I said I would: these are small things, but that's where trust comes from.
2. Method beats enthusiasm
In a factory no part comes out right because you believe in it hard enough. It comes out right because you follow a procedure, check, correct, repeat. Enthusiasm helps you get started, but it's method that carries you through the days when the enthusiasm isn't there.
In my current work I try to apply the same logic. I set myself small, concrete goals, I keep track of what I do, and every week I look at what worked and what didn't. It isn't glamorous, but it works far better than motivational slogans.
3. Nobody works alone
The most important thing the factory taught me is teamwork. A production line stops if even one person runs into trouble. That's why you learn to help the colleague who has fallen behind, to pass on information, to ask for a hand without feeling ashamed.
Today I spend a good part of my time training and supporting other people. When someone is struggling, I think back to the colleagues who patiently taught me the trade without making me feel inadequate. I try to do the same.
What I carry with me
I don't believe any experience is useless. There are only experiences we haven't yet worked out how to use. Whether you come from manual work, an office or anywhere else, you probably already have valuable skills: maybe you are precise, patient, used to meeting deadlines or to handling hard work.
The first step, in my view, is to recognise them. Take a sheet of paper and write down three things your job has taught you. You might find you have more in your hands than you think.