Your career paths

[Functional]

I think we are all aware that all walks of life are part of these forums. I might be the only one really interested to know but what's your career paths looked like? I'm sure we have some pretty interesting members here.

 

As a mechanical engineer I started my life in project management running jobs for natural gas power generation sites. While a bit demanding it was pretty awesome getting see the process of ripping apart large turbines (jet engines really) and walking through the stacks of other systems during outages. Did some work on hydro dams (some of the more notable ones are the two that control the Niagara falls). Was put on a underwater cable strike project and repair, etc. After about 7 years of that I left to help my parents out ( mom needed a fairly complicated kidney transplant and my dad donated) for a bit and move states.

 

Ended up with a construction company down south as a project engineer and whatever else was needed. Absolutely hated the life and only lasted 6 months before I found myself a new job.

 

Managing a facilities and capital projects department at another utility company that I've been with for 7 years now. While not as exciting as my first job this is less stressful, more flexible and I've still been able to have a huge impact building their entire new operations center and planning 2 other buildings for future construction. 

[OmegaDPW]

Great idea for a thread!

 

Spent 21 years in Law-Enforcement as a Police Officer and then Police Chief in a small town. Got burned out and felt the calling to work with special needs children. Did that, and coached baseball and football in our local school system for approx. 7 years until Covid messed things up. Got hired back in the same town where I was Police Chief- but this time as the Public Works Director. I've stressed to my kids over the years to never leave a job on a bad note- and I'm sure glad I didn't when I left the first time. 

 

Let's see, what else? I'm also a Roman Catholic Deacon and I've also worked part-time in the funeral business for a few years. Pick-ups, embalming room, visitations and services. Pretty interesting stuff. 

[Junger]

I'm a professional pencil pusher (CPA). I started in public accounting, specializing in corporate tax, and I'm now in the corporate tax world working for a publicly traded company. But I'm still a pencil pusher.

[Bird]

Grew up on a farm so making hay all summer was my 1st paying job $1.50 per hour. 😁

When I got older but still in highschool, worked in an orchard for 2 summers.

After I got my driver's license I became a roofer and painted barn roofs on the side.

1982 went into the Army until 1988.

After returning home, worked on a dairy farm for 1 year.

Then for the following 19 years was a cabinet maker.

The next 15 years was an industrial crane operator / mechanic and also had a small chainsaw shop in garage when I had time.

Been married 38 years and been retired for 4 years.

Now all I do is fish 👍

[Boomstick]

Since 2006 (the year I graduated college) I have worked as a software developer over three jobs, the second which I made it nearly 15 years but left as the company I worked for looked like they might not be around for much longer.

 

Before that I worked several odd jobs, from a local supermarket, gas station, fixing computers, guitar lessons, guitar repair, creating websites for people and working at my college's computer helpdesk while a college student.

[A-Jay]

Followed in the foot steps of my grandfather and Enlisted in the US Coast Guard

a year or so out of high school.  Still just a clue-less kid.

Had to grow up fast and I did.

Spent my 28 year career as a BOATSWAIN’S MATE,  and retired as an enlisted man at 47.

During which I served at several Search & Rescue stations, on Patrol Boats, Ships, Cutters & multiple small boats.  All located up and down the East Coast of the USA from Maine to SC.

Moving every two or three years is hard and I basically lived out of a bag for most all of it.

Spending weeks/month ways from your family is harder and not for everyone.

Depending on your assignment, you will be putting yourself in harms way for total strangers. 

Did quite a bit of that.  Bad things happen to good people all the time.  We were always getting there after the bad had already happened.  Sometimes we helped, sometimes we just cleaned up what was left; if we could find it.  The Atlantic Ocean's a pretty big place.  

Job descriptions were many, including but not limited to Driving/Navigation the vessels mentioned above, (in some very treacherous conditions) Maritime Law Enforcement, Search & Rescue Mission Coordination, and tons of Training.

Served 2 tours a Company Commander (the Coast Guard's name for a Drill Instructor).  Super rewarding job.  Throughout my career I was so fortunate to work with some of the most dedicated, hard working and self-less folks who taught me so much about Honor, Respect & Devotion to Duty.  The time went by in a flash. I miss them and that job every day. Perhaps the best part about the whole deal is that while I was serving our great country, I met & some how tricked my wife into marring me.  

Semper Paratus 

A-Jay

 

[Susky River Rat]

I worked for a small family owned machine/ weld shop for 10 years. I was foreman of the shop eventually. During that time I also taught  adult evening classes in welding at a career and technology center.

 

for the last 5.5 years I have worked I have worked at let’s say a major company in the trucking field. I am welding technician. I test employees determine wage. I also implement new welding process, safe work instructions, as well as destructively test welds. When something does fail I have to explain why and how. So basically I am a welding geek. 

[Tennessee Boy]

Before retiring I was a software development contractor for 36 years.  I worked on contracts for NASA,  US Army,  US Air Force,  US Army Corp of Engineers,  AT&T,  a small company in the medical industry,  and an online retailer.

 

I've been retired for 2 years.  Fishing is better than working!

[DogBone_384]

I worked in the car stereo industry in the '80's & 90's, including almost 10 years with Alpine Electronics, when it was 'printing money'.  I saw the end of that rainbow coming and was fortunate enough to get hired on the Fire Department in the city I've lived in my whole life.  I have a few years left until I retire.  I'll work after the FD to keep busy, but there is no better job.

[DogBone_384]

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

We were always getting there after the bad had already happened.  Sometimes we helped, sometimes we just cleaned up what was left; if we could find it. 

Sounds like the FD, but we always find the incident.

 

One of my coworkers was a Coastie before the FD.  He found himself picking up 'pieces' of all sorts from Egypt Air flight 990 on his FIRST DAY of service.

[Woody B]

Great topic.  

 

My Father and Grandfather were building contractors.  I guess I was supposed to follow in their footsteps, but I hated construction.  I always like messing with mechanical stuff.  I went to work at a new car dealership shortly after graduating High School.   I've worked on autos and trucks since then, as well as drag racing for a couple decades.   I've been an ASE Certified Master Tech for almost 40 years.  I was a GM Certified World Class Tech up until I left the Chevy dealership I was working at 8 years ago.   I'm a retail Automotive Technician for the largest used car retailer in the US for the last 8 years.  I plan on retired from there, but haven't decided on the timing for that yet.  (I turn 60 later this month)

[DogBone_384]

4 minutes ago, Woody B said:

I've been an ASE Certified Master Tech for almost 40 years. 

Are you any good with Quadrajets? 

[12poundbass]

I started working at the local lumberyard doing sales at the ripe old age of 14. I did that through high school along with roofing and siding. After high school I went to college for residential design. I came to an abrupt end after six weeks when I was diagnosed with cancer which turns out to be ok because I can’t see myself being stuck indoors working.

 

After all that mess I back to the lumberyard for a bit. After that I got into HVAC. While there I did a plumbing apprenticeship until the master was fired. I loved doing plumbing and wish I would’ve went somewhere else and stuck with it. From there I did construction until the housing market crash. With a child on the way and being laid off I needed to find a consistent job so I got into the utility locating business. I worked my way up the ladder to operations manager through two companies. After 13 years and company one bought the company I left company one to go to I knew I needed to get out. 
 

I left there to go to my current job at a fast growing fiber optic internet company as an outside plant engineer overseeing the installation of underground and eventually aerial construction. This is a four year project with the option to travel after that or possibly stay for future commercial builds. 
 

I’ll say I wish I would have stayed with the plumbing gig or gotten into the utility industry sooner. I’ve enjoyed both and have learned a lot and experienced a ton of cool things in the utility business.

[VolFan]

I went to college planning to go to med school. Realized about 6 semesters in that it was probably a bad idea. Finished out my biochem degree and continued working in restaurants after college. Really loved restaurant work. I worked at the highest of high end places outside of Knoxville for a few years. Great place and great people. Joined federal law enforcement on a bit of a lark from there and now tomorrow it’ll be 20 years. Best job in the world. Time sure flies by. 

[DaubsNU1]

Always wanted to be a carpenter like my Dad...but tough times in the 1980's changed my perspective.

 

Got a job as a Resident Advisor in college...then landed a job as a Residence Hall Director in mid-sized University in Northeast Missouri after graduating (graduated in may, got married in June, moved in to 450 bed all male residence hall with my new wife in August). Interesting times! 

 

Did the Hall Director thing for 5 years, living right on campus. Fun gig...free room and board, free education (Master's degree). Spent two years as a computer consultant / trainer in St. Louis while the wife finished medical school. Moved back to the the small town and got job at the same University...this time director of campus activities. Fun gig! Got to meet Dave Chappelle, Jim Lovel, Alan Page and bunches of others that came to our campus for events / concerts, etc.

 

Got promoted to Director of Student Union and did that for three years. Then moved to Northwest Missouri State University as Director of Student Development at a high school academy for academically gifted (think Big Bang Theory). That was a good gig for 5 years. 

 

Doctor wife and I moved back to Nebraska, and I was then a stay-@-home Dad for 4 years to our daughters. In 2009 we split up, and I took job as Director of Advising at local University.  Been there ever since. Around ~2007 I started taking pictures...been doing that as a side gig ever since. It's not huge amounts of $$, but helps fund my fishing and hunting addictions : ) 

[padlin]

I skip all the little stuff.
 

Had a HS “work experience” class, it got me a job as auto body apprentice, which was good cause I crashed a good number of cars in the teen years. Stayed there till I started my own place at 19, great pay, but it all went to chasing skirts, what’s a 19 year old know about running a business?

 

Joined the AF to get in something cleaner, my much brighter brother suggested I try and get into computers back before anyone knew what they were, lo and behold I got the first choice on my dream sheet. A year in Biloxi, 3 in Omaha where I met my bride. I loved the service but got out cause the low pay wouldn’t support 3.

 

Got an offer at the WSJ, which I accepted and stayed at till, I retired at 56, if it ran off electric we fixed it, from mainframes to the printing press, not a boring day in 33 years. It was another great job till the family that owned it sold out to News Corp. I went from having 20 folks working for me to 3 when I left, with more hours then ever. If you’ve never been through them layoffs suck. Had round after round over the years, it’s tough picking who’s going when you’ve worked and partied with them for years. I left when they cut me from 5 guys to 3, to cover a 7 days week.. Just too much stress, and it was about to get much tougher.

 

Fishing is much better.

 

My favorite job was part time at a mom and pop diner.

 

 

[greentrout]

6 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Followed in the foot steps of my grandfather and Enlisted in the US Coast Guard

a year or so out of high school.  Still just a clue-less kid.

Had to grow up fast and I did.

Spent my 28 year career as a BOATSWAIN’S MATE,  and retired as an enlisted man at 47.

During which I served at several Search & Rescue stations, on Patrol Boats, Ships, Cutters & multiple small boats.  All located up and down the East Coast of the USA from Maine to SC.

Moving every two or three years is hard and I basically lived out of a bag for most all of it.

Spending weeks/month ways from your family is harder and not for everyone.

Depending on your assignment, you will be putting yourself in harms way for total strangers. 

Did quite a bit of that.  Bad things happen to good people all the time.  We were always getting there after the bad had already happened.  Sometimes we helped, sometimes we just cleaned up what was left; if we could find it.  The Atlantic Ocean's a pretty big place.  

Job descriptions were many, including but not limited to Driving/Navigation the vessels mentioned above, (in some very treacherous conditions) Maritime Law Enforcement, Search & Rescue Mission Coordination, and tons of Training.

Served 2 tours a Company Commander (the Coast Guard's name for a Drill Instructor).  Super rewarding job.  Throughout my career I was so fortunate to work with some of the most dedicated, hard working and self-less folks who taught me so much about Honor, Respect & Devotion to Duty.  The time went by in a flash. I miss them and that job every day. Perhaps the best part about the whole deal is that while I was serving our great country, I met & some how tricked my wife into marring me.  

Semper Paratus 

A-Jay

 

U.S.C.G. Boot Camp 1970 Coast Guard Base Alameda, California. Honorable Discharge 1974 E-5 Radioman. Trained on Governors Island, New York Coast Guard Base.

 

One of the best things I ever did. 

 

SEMPER PARATUS 

[TnRiver46]

High school:

Slung clay pigeons at a gun range, packaged coffee

college: cut grass 

 

got a degree in wildlife/fisheries science

 

did wildlife damage control M-F for 17 yrs (private company) while guiding instructing fly fishing at a resort on weekends. When pandemic arrived I wasn’t sure if I was essential or not so I picked up a food delivery job to fill in gaps 

 

last summer started working weekends at an adventure center downtown renting kayaks canoes paddle boards mountain bikes e bikes etc. Already worked some for them

this spring 

 

Had to quit wildlife career last month due to lack of pay and been working nights in a warehouse while looking for jobs, got one pending. Still delivering food to fill in money gaps 

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, VolFan said:

I went to college planning to go to med school. Realized about 6 semesters in that it was probably a bad idea. Finished out my biochem degree and continued working in restaurants after college. Really loved restaurant work. I worked at the highest of high end places outside of Knoxville for a few years. Great place and great people. Joined federal law enforcement on a bit of a lark from there and now tomorrow it’ll be 20 years. Best job in the world. Time sure flies by. 

I got a feeling we might have worked at the same spot 😂 

[casts_by_fly]

All through school I worked side jobs with my dad in addition to lifeguarding in the summers.  He was a union laborer (bricklayers) but on the side he did roofs, siding, concrete, and framing.  My parents always said that I'd finish college and not work with my body so they made sure I learned how hard manual work was when I was still in school.

 

I always had good grades (I was a valedictorian), so there was no question of going to college, it was just what I wanted to study.  In high school I loved chemistry and problem solving, so that meant chemical engineer.  I had a wonderful intro to ChemE professor (RIP) who explained that chemical engineers can do anything.  It's not about chemistry or piping like traditional chemical engineers, it's about using problem solving skills to figure out the big picture.  ChemEs from CMU went into traditional ChemE areas, but also went into medicine, finance/accounting, consulting, research, and tons of other careers.  I was hooked.

 

During my time I did a year in industry in a research group at a fortune 500 company in Cleveland.  I hated the work (the fishing was awesome).  Doing research was so boring with no payoff.  I need to make things, I need to solve problems right now, not some theoretical solution to a problem that might come to market in 10 years.  When I graduated a year later I took a job in the consumer products industry for a FTSE listed company that owns tons of brands you have in your house now but that you've never heard of the company.  I was technically in R&D, but it was mostly 'D' and a whole lot less 'R'.  We would make the formulations that go into the bottles, design new bottles, do all of the testing to make sure it was the best thing on the market, etc.  I'm still at the same company 9 months short of 20 years.

 

That said, I've had a winding path.  After 2.5 years here in the US, we moved to the UK with the company.  In that time I moved from product development to upstream technology identification and development, through flavors and fragrance development, and ultimately into project management.  When my wife moved companies and we moved south (still UK) I was able to stay with my current company, but moved from R&D into supply chain leading custom manufacturing.  The second time she moved companies which brought us back to the US (I'm the follower career) I was lucky again and managed to stay with the company and found a perfect role where I was designing the custom manufacturing process for a new division.  Shortly after, my boss was in a bind (someone left) and needed me to lead the entire program so during COVID we built two warehouses, put in new warehouse systems and processes in 2 more on top, and started them all up.

 

I'm now in third party manufacturing for another division yet, so I just keep moving from open role to open role.  I don't intend to leave the company if possible, and with 20 years here it would be costly for them to get rid of me.  I'll keep taking the interesting roles that give me some flexibility.

[Mobasser]

I had an uncle who was a top guy in the carpenters union in Kansas City Mo. He helped me get in, when they really weren't hiring people. I hired as an apprentice in 1980. I was required to attend classes two nights per week, and work during the day.               It was brutal hard work, and, I had many days if I wondered if I was really cut out for this trade. But, I stayed with it. I eventually tested to make journeyman. I failed the test the first time. Four months later I passed it with a perfect score.                       Eventually, I left the union and went to work for my daughters small business, running a small crew remodeling older homes. I'm now 66 and retired. I have some  knee and hip soreness from all the years as a carpenter, but I still work a couple of days a week, helping a friend with a small contracting business.            Doing this type of work is like all trade work. It's all about tenacity. You have to be willing to stick it out, and, you'll earn every penny. It saddens me that more young guys are not interested in this work anymore.                         I supported a wife and four kids working as a carpenter. It's a good profession.

[TnRiver46]

@Mobasser, there must be quite a few young guys interested in carpentry here because there are a blue million houses and apts being built every day 

[volzfan59]

Law enforcement is all I have ever done career wise. United States Army Military Police out of high school. 28 years with the State of TN, retired. Then another 3 1/2 years with a local Sheriff's Department, retired again (in TN, the smaller counties pay into the state retirement system).

After that, I had fun. Started part time with Bass Pro Shops, ended up full time. Stayed for about five years. Probably the best job I ever had, great place to work. Started delivering auto parts part time for a mom and pop store for a little over a year, then decided to hang it up. Professional house husband now.

[Functional]

My issues I've seen with young guys in the trades is the travel requirements and time away from their families. I'm not sure how it was years back but currently most decently paying trades jobs you could be halfway across your state for a job and if you get bigger jobs up to 3-4 hours away days at a time. Lot of young guys arent willing to give that time up with their families. 

 

Just $0.02 from someone who employs general trades people and works enough construction jobs to hear first hand. 

 

Pretty awesome to see the career paths a lot of you have had. 

 

@casts_by_fly If you have the right engineering school the whole point of an engineering degree is to train your mind how to solve problems and how to think critically (like you said). The specific disciplines just focuses the area of study to a specific area but the basics are all the same...if that makes sense. I've interviewed quite a few new engineers however and that seems like that's not what's being taught now. Its more how to pencil whip something which is pretty disheartening. 

[casts_by_fly]

21 minutes ago, Functional said:

My issues I've seen with young guys in the trades is the travel requirements and time away from their families. I'm not sure how it was years back but currently most decently paying trades jobs you could be halfway across your state for a job and if you get bigger jobs up to 3-4 hours away days at a time. Lot of young guys arent willing to give that time up with their families. 

 

Just $0.02 from someone who employs general trades people and works enough construction jobs to hear first hand. 

 

Pretty awesome to see the career paths a lot of you have had. 

 

@casts_by_fly If you have the right engineering school the whole point of an engineering degree is to train your mind how to solve problems and how to think critically (like you said). The specific disciplines just focuses the area of study to a specific area but the basics are all the same...if that makes sense. I've interviewed quite a few new engineers however and that seems like that's not what's being taught now. Its more how to pencil whip something which is pretty disheartening. 

 

Agreed, but that's not how most engineering schools were teaching 20 years ago and it sounds like not now either.  Speaking with friends at the time, what we did was very different to most.  Most were given equations and facts and meant to memorize them.  Everything we did was open book, open anything.  Bring in last year's test if you want.  It might have a similar question, but the answer isn't the same.  The process was disecting a problem into its basic parts first, understand what 'rules' govern it, and then using the correct technical 'rule' to find the numerical answer.  At CMU this method started back in the early 1900's under James Doherty (head of the technical school then) and was called the Doherty Method or the Carnegie plan.  As a problem solver type, I absolutely loved it.  Some of my friends absolutely hated it.  We all made it through together though because that's the only way we'd have survived.