What were you before?

[BamBam53]

At school I really liked science and maths. This led me into a career in science. Three years in the rubber industry followed by twenty two years in paint laboratories.

I thought paint was what you bought in the hardware store, but over the years I worked on every kind of coating but that. Worked with some brilliant people and there was lots of travel visiting customers around Australia and New Zealand. One memorable thing was spending a week in Adelaide inspecting panels on the outside of a twelve story building, from a 6 x 4 box on the end of a crane.

Transferred to New Zealand and my job disappeared in 1998. Not much demand in New Zealand for chemists in the areas I specialised in, so it was time for a change of career.

I had always been interested in computers so off to the world of Information Technology. Initially I could not get a job, "You have no IT experience and no IT qualifications". I landed a job testing software for a company the made computer systems for petrol stations. With a bit of study I got a qualification but by then I did not need it because I had the experience. I left after three years as a Software Engineer. The company had gone through a number of restructures and owners, there were 150 staff when I started, 25 when I left. For the last nine years I have been working as a business analyst in health care.

As for wood working, it is my sanity break.

[pjt]

An amazing variety of "things we did before"
I had a paper round and I went to work with dad before I went to work which was at the end of grade nine, I wanted out of high school and to go to work, started as an apprentice sparky, no good at the school tho so after 2 1/2 yrs of the sparky thing was a bit of time on the dole, then worked with dad for 4 1/2 yrs laying floor coverings, a few Tafe courses and I started a short term (3 month) job at a textile factory putting up a suspended ceiling, stayed for 15 yrs, a few more Tafe courses, F/M trade, PLC programming, 1/2 baked Mech. Eng., travelled around Aus. during winter (born in Tas. and I hate the cold) the textile factory was heated which is one reason why I was there so long, went north to where there were no chimneys, some industry and not too many traffic lights, Gladstone Qld that'll do, having the F/M trade certainly helped getting a job but was also a bit of a shock compared to what I was used too, worked for a few of the local engineering places but got a bit annoyed with it all so time for another change and kinda fell into doing the woodwork thing, previous work lives have been very helpful with the woodwork and sometimes in unexpected ways, but might be back to a real job soon, no doubt something to do with mining

I at times reflect on decisions made, opportunities that arise, jobs that are available where you live, currently watching the series on "how to build" on SBS, for me Tafe was a godsend, everyone says it but if I knew what I know now .......

That's a quick look at my "what I did before"


Pete