Hated school, but got an apprenticeship in an engineering company making packaging machinery. Finished city and guilds in 1975 as a fitter machinist. I went into the paper industry on maintenance in 1976. After 10 years at the sharp end on front line maintenance, got promoted onto staff. Cut a long story short, I finished 43 years in maintenance as a paper machine mechanical engineer. I enjoyed my career, in a tough working environment, and retired in 2018. No regrets, I don’t miss the job but I do miss the people. I still see some regularly on rides out.
Can’t help wondering about the future, for our children and grandchildren. Seems a lot of people ‘fell’ into a career and then got the relevant qualifications or training. Doesn’t really work like that now.
My boy is doing ok Left school to do electrical and mechanical engineering with a group training scheme he did that for 3 years left there to work in a sports packing warehouse and applied over a year to network rail, he was unsuccessful twice but kept trying and is now an apprentice with them He isn’t afraid of hard work and is a go getter at 22
Absolutely. I’d require a solid engineering degree to apply for my current position. I got in through a side door and worked my way up.
I listen to some people who don’t want to do this or that, don’t want to be away from home, only want to do a 37 hour week then complain they can’t afford certain things. I often get the old “ how do you afford a classic car and a Ducati”? My reply is hard work and sacrifice, I mostly work 50 +hours a week, 75 hours if I work a weekend, I work away from home through most weeks. It really annoys me. Our store man constantly complains he can’t afford things but has a fag break every 5 minutes, I pointed this out to him but he just gave me a confused look?
but, there are some careers that you can fall into without qualifications, that don’t need qualifications, that will pay good wages. I deal with many “managers” in businesses that have no qualifications, that have worked up through the business and have their job based on experience and industry knowledge.
Marine engineer for 40 years. Started off on steam reciprocating engine ship with oil hand lamps to see with, now working for Maersk on electronically controlled diesels, probably bumped into @990Glen at some point
Yes there are some, not sure about engineering type work though ? All our (local) managers have worked their way up, and all are easy to talk to and deal with.
RT Flex stuff? If you were ever in the Newcastle office to see the likes of Andy Madge or Jon Thompson between 2008 and 2012 and went out for a beer with them on the evening, then very possibly
HR/recruiting seems to be one of them, when you look into the backgrounds of some of the agencies that control the path to jobs these days.
Did one Flex trip and decided no thanks so went back to ME. Never invited out for a beer , had a close call when I was invited to work in the Newcastle office a few months before it shut but declined
@noonooo I've always been fascinated by shoemakers and watching them in action. Saw a demonstation by a Lobbs bootmaker once - very impressive. Any photos of your work?
And the better for it experience in the field now doesn't exist has to be a graduate for everything and most dont know there arse from there elbow!!
