So what started you off on your career path?

[Mike Walker]

Had no idea what I wanted to do at school apart from get out asap. Applied for a job as a draughtsman in a small consulting engineers in Victoria because I enjoyed drawing, got that and also worked in Tesco's Friday night and Saturday mornings plus did cleaning job at Tescos before work in the week.
Found out about secondary education whilst I was at Arup - the biggest Structural Engineers in the world at the time - and did day release before taking my AMI Struct E exams. Passed that - 7 hours of joy - and have subsequently worked on Terminal 5 at Heathrow as Design Manager and just now the complete redevelopement of London Bridge Station. Where did the time go????

 

[Willsco]

I did Ok at O levels but wasn't good enough to do A levels. Was a toss-up between doing apprenticeship with Lucas or going to Tech College.

Chose college and did an OND (ordinary national diploma) in engineering technology which just about got me into polytechnic.

My leaning was towards mechanical engineering but most people were choosing that over electronics - I guessed that electronics would be better in long run and chose that - doing a "thick sandwich" degree in Electrical and Electronic engineering.

My year in industry was with a computer company who were developing emulators of early technical drawing CAD screens. After three years at poly and just about to go back to do my finals the engineering director of the company I was finishing my placement at asked my what I saw myself doing in a couple of years - I dodged the question and asked him what he thought. He said he didn't see me as an engineer but that I was good at talking and should exploit that more.

I finished my degree and got a job back with my placement company as a telephone-based tech support engineer - moved into product support - got training in product management - moved to a company making connectors and cables for computer networks - went back to college at night school and got post grad degree in marketing - ended up as international marketing manager but always kept my techie roots. Now, amongst other things, I manage all the corporate websites in EMEA, Australia, NZ & India.

Nice mix of techie and commercial. Worked with same small team for over 20 years - although we have been bought out by different and bigger American companies two or three times.

Nice to hear that a number of forum members have managed to retire in their 50's - I've just turned 50 and would like to do similar by time I'mm 55 - but not sure if feasible - maybe should have bought SL280 instead of the SL500....?

 

[mattc]

did Business and German at Uni and since graduating I have always been in sales. Have sold ammunition and titanium predominately and travelled the world the best way possible - on expenses.

 

[peter49]

Dad said I should learn a Trade so I went for Electrical Engineering, got the job, failed the medical because I couldn't differentiate between red and green, a pre-requisit when connecting electrical wiring!
Got an apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering in 1966 and ended up a Commissioning Engineer after 8 years. Joined Shell as a Rotating Equipment Engineer for 4 years before being poached by a supplier to become a Technical Sales Engineer in 1978, really fancied the company car aspect until I was given an Austin Allegro!
My career continued into Senior Management and Directorship. Once I'd done it all/knew it all, I retired at 55. Was asked to do some consultancy work by a previous Client and did so for 5 years before retiring again on my 60th birthday.
Now have the best job ever doing whatever I like.

 

[219]

When I was really young I wanted to be a window cleaner, so I could look at naked ladies in their bedroom but I didn't like heights.

Had you become a fireman you could have plucked them from the brink of death and earned their eternal gratitude

 

[cinek]

I started right at the bottom of the pit, cleaning the yard, washing the kit and vehicles...
Gradually climbed through the ranks, and have been lucky enough to now sit on the top branch with nobody above me.
Specialising in health & safety, QSM for 9001, 14001 and 18001 as well as traffic management.

 

[markjay]

Had you become a fireman you could have plucked them from the brink of death and earned their eternal gratitude

Is there a particular story you'd like to share with us?

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I never had a specific career path. I left school after getting my 'O'-levels but didn't find anything that "floated my boat" workwise during the summer holiday. I wanted to get into engineering of some sort and went for a few interviews at various large companies in West London, but found the standards they were looking for were somewhat demeaning. So my dad insisted I returned to start 'A'-levels. I was always more practical than academic so the harder studying became my incentive to make a decision on work. The following January my careers master suggested trying the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill in North London. They asked lots of difficult questions and I loved what I saw. The following week I started my apprenticeship there. 34 years later I took early retirement from the same company (by then called BT) after having been involved in the early development of fibre optics (amongst many other innovations) and travelled all round the world many times. Not too shabby for someone who never really had a clue what he wanted to do!

 

[nick mercedes]

I sell mercedes parts really really cheap, but everyone hates me.

I'd really like to be a miner but mrs t shut down all the mines.

 

[developer]

I sell mercedes parts really really cheap, but everyone hates me.

Ha ha.

 

[pawnie]

Wow!
Well I am just a lowly stained glass conservator.. ( I mend church windows, amongst other leaded lights)
Fell into it by chance 12yrs ago. I was plasterer when I applied for the job. Went for interview on the saturday. Started on the monday.
Trying to set up on my own at present.

 

[redbaron]

I really really like miners, but everyone hates me.

I'd really like to be able to post out orders but mrs t sold off the post office.

Not everyone hates you... but I have always been one to follow the majority.

 

[tali]

I wanted to be a motoring journalist - but i lacked drive.

 

[seven]

I started with a shop in LA in 1986 when I was 20, shipping containers of antique furniture. Fantastic place to be when you are young. Packed it in after 4 years due to immigration problems and spent the next 10 or so years traveling in Africa and India. Restarted my career after that and there have been a few ups and downs along the way but it's been a great ride.
I thank my old man for the start he gave me and the ever continuing encouragement.

 

[dirty hands]

when asked at the careers office what did iwant to do..rally driver...think he realised then i was a forlorn hope..got an apprenticeship.....went to college..motor vehicle course,was doingreally well too...before a **** in a capri had a damned good attempt a killing me on my fsie...landed on me napper..buggered up me marbles for a couple of years..had the memory of a goldfish..only took six months to lose my job...went on to drive dumptrucks on the m42..you had to be a bit bonkers to do that!!!went to work back in the family garage when i was alot better...did a panel beating /spraying course...got disillusioned with working on old jags mercs rollers etc....told em i was going into sailing dinghy refurbishment (id sailed since i was six).....family told me iwas nuts...nothing new there then...been doing it since 1993..and i still enjoy it...some of the best dinghy yotters are our customers...must be doing something right!!!

 

[ricardo62]

i wish i had a job, i left school with various o levels , but for some crazy reason decided i wanted to be a hgv class 1 driver,so took my test and did that for 20 odd years wasting my qualifications? oh prior to that i worked as a car salesman back in the 80s ,unfortunately had my hgv licence taken off me 5 yrs ago owing to having sleep apnea ,so bought a van and started up doing deliverys for a local firm ,all went well until 2 yrs ago when my late father became very ill so gave up everything to care for him,now i find myself unemployed and desperate for work idealy car sales , but all im getting is knockbacks owing to my lack of recent experiance ,and when employers see my c/v and see ive been an hgv driver for 20 yrs then they dont want to know? even the advisor at the job club has said it is unlikely i will find employment in the near future so not looking good..

 

[gaz_l]

Never really had a plan. Dropped out of uni after the first year, spent a couple of years working in a warehouse/driving a truck. A friend of mine started a company, offered me a job, I took root there and that was the next 22 years taken care of. Company grew and grew, eventually got sold, friend made a lot of money, I made some, new owners (huge American corporation) set about ruining what they'd bought. I left last year, having had enough, now back in a small company and earning less but back to jumping out of bed in the morning.

I've always kind of thought keep putting the effort in and it'll all turn out alright.. seems to have worked so far!

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[Tiff]

Knew the difference between a Rostyle and a Sports Road wheel by the age of 2, and was reading Car Mechanics and Haynes by 4 and a half. Had every bike I owned in bits and moved on to lawnmowers,motorbikes then cars. Started as a mechanic, then panel beater/painter,then back to a mechanic,then MOT tester and now Breakdown Patrol. No surprises really.