What is your occupation, employment, job or profession?

[Canute]

Ski, good luck battling the C monster. Hope today was a good one.And tomorrow a better one.

[dgbot]

More power to you. Thus speaks a kindred spirit.

David B

[trippwj]

Unemployed and looking.  Not much of a market here for an old Emergency Manager like me...

[usedtosail]

Wayne, you want to come down our way and manage the T? I think they could use an Emergency Manager.

 

All kidding aside - I hope you find something soon.

[Tadeusz43]

Hi,

I am a retired  shipbuilding engineer and naval achitect with almost 40 years in profession
in this number also  several years of experience of service at sea on board fishing vessels in Mexico and Iceland.

I had the opportunity to sail on ships that I design and build.

It was an unforgettable experience, especially when during the first storm  I was wondering if all calculations were performed without errors.

Fortunately yes, so is still alive with Admiral, grandchildren and cats.

 

Tadeusz

[cog]

Wayne,

 

Don't loose faith, I just recently have a new job - since 2,5 weeks - at my age (53yrs), and where I live, it isn't the easiest thing to accomplish. The strange thing is that suddenly another company desires my services too ... I keep my fingers crossed for you!

[fletch944t]

Previously a Reactor Operator - United States Navy (Submarines).

 

Previously a Reactor Operator, Senior Reactor Operator, and Shift Technical Advisor (B.S. Nuclear Science and Engineering) - Commercial nuclear power plants.

 

Currently a Nuclear Operations Instructor - Commercial nuclear power plant.

 

 

[cog]

Tomorrow I'll start as a team lead developer and technical project manager (software development) I'm looking forward making the job my next challenge!

Edited March 3, 2015 by cog

[dgbot]

Go for it. When I get my release from the hospital the place where I worked said they would take me back. The main problem if finding where to put me that will go with my condition, a 20 pound weight limit kind of puts a damper on where I can go and do. Hopefully QVC will accept me then I will stay busy and be useful.

David B

[cog]

David,

 

Hope they'll keep their word. Whatever work they have for you, in the end it is you who makes the job - which ever - a challenge/challenging. Don't think not being useful, if not in the same line of work you could do something else. Keep your spirit up mate!!!

[dgbot]

Make work and useful work. Q.C would be useful. I can read prints and know what the parts are sup posed to look like they know my work and like it. I am lucky in a way. The president's wife has been going to Mayo battling cancer. The general manager was diagnosed with Lupus. They both promised me a position when I get a release. I am praying I am up to the job.

David B

[BenF89]

Just found this thread, and like many others was really intrigued by the diversity of different careers/career paths.

 

I've mentioned this in a couple other posts, but I'll post it here as well, since the thread is intended for it. I am a Naval Architect (graduated in 2011 from Webb Institute) working at a builder of small aluminum military and government boats in Tacoma, WA. Currently acting as the lead for our Hull group (which doesn't mean much, since I'm really the ONLY person in the hull group...) on a new patrol boat for the US Navy. Been on this project since I joined with the company 3-1/2 years ago. It's been really exciting to see the development of the design from concept through construction through trials and inspections and deliveries (we are about to launch the 3rd of class in a few weeks).

 

I got interested in boats at age 4 after watching a documentary about Robert Ballard's discovery of Titanic. Went on to learn a lot about Titanic and other famous shipwrecks; was introduced to the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald when I was about 10 years old, and was fascinated with that story as well. Eventually learned about the profession of Naval Architecture, and went to school for it. My student career culminated with an amazing opportunity to help with a Forensic Engineering study of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald for my Senior Thesis. (A former member of the National Transportation Safety Board even found my thesis work and contacted me about it, since he worked on the original NTSB report on the sinking - the work I did led to conclusions that were actually very much in line with what they had determined, and he was pleased to see independent confirmation of some of their theories. That was a cool conversation to have, let me tell you!)

 

Ship modeling has gone very hand-in-hand with my interests in ships, and in tinkering with things (given an engineering mindset). Started building plastic kit models in my childhood/teenage years - Titanic, USS Arizona, a couple generic plastic tall ship models. I also built a plane here or there. All have since been lost to my other keen interest as a kid/teenager - shipwrecks. They were all ceremoniously destroyed in some fashion or another! After graduating college I finally finished another 1:350 plastic model of the Titanic (which is sitting safely on my bookshelf) and finished a 1:350 plastic model of the DKM Bismarck (also on my bookshelf). I built another small workboat-type model that I semi-customized into a research vessel (I think 1:200 scale or something), and I have purchased, but have yet to start on, a 1:350 resin and PE brass model of the Edmund Fitzgerald, to go with my famous sunken ships collection along with Titanic and Bismarck (all at the same scale). In the mean time I'm scratch building a 1:12 doll-boat for my almost 2 year old daughter, which I've started a log for.

 

Really enjoying this site so far, and I can't wait to keep with it.

[Chidokan]

I specialise in marine diesel engine production.... anything from 220 up to 1000 bhp, 6 litres up to 15... Been at my company over 30 years now, was involved in two round the world in (under) 80 days. I still can't believe the changes I've seen, we did a repower of an old MTB which had 3 off 150bhp units, accidentally we were misunderstood and ended up putting three 450bhp engine in to replace the old units, and in a smaller space! Boat now goes like a rocket...   Now we add anything from a gps antenna down to a joystick that controls direction, speed etc... really clever stuff. More electronic parts than mechanical nowadays... roll on retirement when I can build more ship models instead of putting full scale engines into 1-1 scale boats...

[cog]

First three days at work, it will seriously intrudeon  my free time ... Even before I started my personal planning was overflowing ... Ah well, I'll just see it as a new challenge

[John Green]

G'day all !.  I currently teach Human Society & its Environment part time at secondary school. Previously I worked with the State railways, then managed a car wrecking yard, freelance photography / teaching photography. Funnily enough, I absolutely hated school, and left when I was 15. There is something circular about my present position!!. Regards: John...

[barryww]

Ahoy.  32.5 years at AT&T.  Outside plant construction and cable repair first 17 years, manager in OSP Engineering dept. last 15 years.  Wanting to go 2-3 more years before I retire.  My plan while I'm working is to stock up with some wooden ship kits to keep me busy for some time when I do finally retire.  Sounds like a good plan to me!  All the best....Barry.

[Chippa]

Wow - fairly diverse set of folks. I'll add my two cents worth.

 

I graduated High school at the age of 17, and joined the U.S. Navy. They made me a "Cryptographic Technician", and basically put us under NSA and NSA budgets. We were not under the U.S. Navy budget. So basically we were a bunch of NSA dudes wearing US Navy uniforms. I spent 6 years doing spooky stuff for the NSA.

 

Then after exiting the Navy I got my BSEE (Electrical Engineering). Essentially I have 32 years behind me working in the Electronics Industry. Mostly hardware research and development, but sprinkled with quite a bit of Software development too.

 

I got laid off about 2 years ago. The company sales picture just dropped down into the dust, so they had to let most of the engineering team go.

 

I immediately decided to jump into "Futures and Stock Daytrading", and I've been doing that ever since. It seemed to me that daytrading might be a more reliable endeavor over current employment and company outlooks.

 

 

[MRJG]

I'm a industrial Electrician, working with troubleshooting all these - "computers, robots, CNC machines, to conveyor systems", and anything that deals with electricity. From 24 volts DC to 13800 Volts AC.

Edited October 16, 2015 by MRJG

[Julie Mo]

Another Sparky here.  I worked in electrical construction for 34 years, mostly commercial buildings.  Memorable projects include lead electrical foreman on a photon accelerator ring near Chicago, a short stint on a Homeland Security installation, working as an apprentice on Six Flags (Great America back then) and lead CAD designer for a $500 million data center, just before I retired.  Lots of great jobs and some really bad ones peppered in there that bring back many funny stories and fond memories.

[jazzchip]

I just retired 2 months ago. For the last 13 years I was a Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist with the Vet Center, a division of the Veterans Administration that offers counseling for veterans who were in combat zones. It was very rewarding work and the happiest I've ever been in a job. The veterans who I counseled were some of the finest people I've ever known. Prior to this work, I spent 20 years in sales and sales management.

If you know someone who has served in a combat zone and could use some help, please recommend the Vet Centers. It won't cost anything to attend sessions. Why should someone suffer when there is help available.

[mdulaney]

I am a Linux kernel engineer.

[Belco]

Last Valentine's Day, it was my 34th anniversary in XEROX, as a service engineer, although some times me handle other functions within the company. Today repairing machines for high-volume printing.

I started my steps in Barcelona (with all my hair and no glasses) continue to Valencia (11 years), Palma of Majorca (7 years) and back to Barcelona (Bald and wearing glasses).

Earlier, at a young age, working in the maintenance and installation of radio transmitters for taxis, police, etc.

 

And much further back as an errand boy in a neighborhood store.

 

Regards

 

Belco

[David Lester]

Hello All,

I have had two interesting (at least to me) careers unlike any others I've read here. After getting a Bachelor of Commerce degree, I went into the funeral business and for 25 years I was a funeral director. This was a job I loved and like most others in the professional I saw it more like a calling than a job. I didn't own my own business, but was an employee of a family owned business. For some years in the '80's when our kids were little we lived in the funeral home. As they were quite young at the time, they didn't think anything of it and even thought it had its benefits - they liked to sneak downstairs to the coffee lounge and swipe sugar cubes. If you have ever seen Six Feet Under you'll have a pretty good notion of what it's like to live over a funeral home. The series depicted that aspect of the business with great accuracy. (Other things in that series were, of course, over the top and considerably more dramatic than in real life.) During the '90's I served on (and for a time chaired) the provincial regulatory and licensing board which was a real privilege and pleasure and was a highlight of my time in funeral service. Over time though, funeral service does take its toll emotionally and by the end I was feeling that if one more person told me their sad story, I might hit them, which of course is not a good trait in a funeral director, so I packed it in and looked around for something else to do.

 

I settled on real estate sales and did that for the 12 years preceding my retirement. While I enjoyed real estate well enough, it was never a passion for me the way funeral service was and I saw it really as a means to an end - that is putting food on the table and saving for retirement and in that regard it served me well. Commissioned sales can be a brutal arena, but I found my niche and approached the job with the same attention to detail and high level of customer service that funeral service demands and had become second nature to me. I was surprised to find that something so elemental and basic was enough to set me apart from the crowd in this business. I was very pleased to be able to retire when I did and I am enjoying every minute of it. After 30+ years of dealing with a very demanding public I like nothing better than to retreat to my basement, put on the radio and glue unbelievably small parts onto other unbelievably small parts.

 

I have an adage on my bulletin board which I think addresses my two occupations perfectly - "An old friend will help you move. A good friend will help you move a dead body!"

 

Are there any other funeral directors out there?

 

David

[NenadM]

What life story!

[gjdale]

Just love that adage David!

[Gmen44]

Hi everyone,

 

In a matter of 8 days, I will be graduating with a BA in Anthropology and a BS in Biological Sciences. From there I wil be going to graduate school in Illinois to become a professional archaeologist. Never thought I could make a career out of this, but hard work really pays off, and I have received supervisor positions the past two years for archaeology field schools. Looking forward to getting in the field in May as we begin at a new site in SW Ohio! So essentially I am an archaeologist focusing on Midwestern Native American prehistory. It is my love for history that draws me towards ship modeling.

 

Cheers,

Tyler

[Omega1234]

Hi Tyler

 

Congratulations and it sounds like a wonderful achievement that you've got under your belt.

 

Well done and good luck with your career!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[mtaylor]

Congratulations and well-done, Tyler.

[Stevescan]

Well done Tyler.

[pshrynk]

I'm a psychiatrist.  I just started a career shift from being an office dweller to working in a primary care clinic providing consultation and care to the PCP's patients.  It's a new way of doing the job and quite exciting.  I think it's much of the future of my field.