People Behind the Product Series: Albert Duco
ISAIC in three words: “Social Justice. Opportunity. Ethical “
Albert chose to work at ISAIC because he believed in its positive impact on Detroit and saw a company “striving to make a difference.” His personal connection to the city's job struggles, stemming from his father's layoff in 2008, made ISAIC's workforce development efforts particularly appealing: “Detroit has a lot of unemployed people with skills. It's not that they don't want to work, there are good jobs available, but the industry is changing rapidly.”
At ISAIC, Albert found a unique sense of belonging and camaraderie: “I’ve never worked with such a capable, willing group of people. And they all genuinely care about each other. It's unique. He's never worked in a place where everybody celebrates each other's birthdays. It's family. It really is.”
Albert's journey at ISAIC started through his connection with Jen (ISAIC’s CEO) from her time at Shinola. Beginning as a part-time material handler, he gradually assumed more responsibilities, reflecting the ISAIC’s growth opportunities: "There's opportunity here, and if you have a little bit of ambition and want to get there, you will."
ISAIC's commitment to diversity and inclusivity stood out to Albert: “ISAIC is a very diverse and inclusive workplace. They have a monthly diversity and equity inclusion group meeting where everyone can discuss any issues they're facing and come up with solutions. It's a place where you don't have to be afraid to speak up. It's still professional, but it's so welcoming.”
Albert's learning journey at ISAIC has been profound: “I’ve learned so much during my time at ISAIC.” He embraced the company's ethos of continuous improvement and recognizes the commitment to progress over perfection: "Another thing they do here is they try to get a little bit better every day. Even if it's just figuring out how to fold something half a second faster, whatever it is.” He values the environment of perpetual learning.
Albert's perspective on his role is clear: “making everyone else's job easier.” When working on knit fabric, he prioritizes maintaining a seamless production line: “my job is to keep the line sewing on time without any hiccups. It's not my job to make the product, it's my job to make sure the process is running smoothly.”
Albert's learning path often involved tackling challenges head-on: “I learned things by being thrown into the deep end.” Fortunately, ISAIC's improved training system and supportive colleagues streamlined his learning. He describes, “I have a very technically minded group of coworkers who are always willing to help me learn new things.”
Grateful for ISAIC's nurturing environment, Albert recognized the breadth of skills he gained: “I wouldn't be able to say I know seven or eight machines if it weren't for ISAIC.” Unlike workplaces confined to one role, he even works part-time on creating work instructions with Cassie- ISAIC's training developer.
Albert is excited for his continued growth at ISAIC. He says, I want to “transition out of production into either doing work instructions or being involved with the innovation team.” He eagerly anticipates what lies ahead. Albert perfectly embodies ISAIC's essence: hardworking, passionate, and ever curious. His presence greatly enriches the ISAIC team, and undoubtedly, he'll continue to excel in the years ahead.