What is/was your Profession?

[Creature Meadow]

Just curious what you guys and gals do for a living. Been around here reading for a year or so and a member since the summer. in some post references are made to work but not very often that I see.

So, if you care to share how you make your living or if those days have past and are retired what did you do.

I'll get this started.

My work for the last 18 years has been as a metrologist, managing the calibration system for TE.

I am also a volunteer fireman, which I have been doing for 28 years.

Thanks for sharing and have a blessed day.

Jay

 

[CaveCreekRay]

High-speed heavy equipment operator for 30 years. (aka: Pilot)

 

[ipz2222]

Hydro-mechanical-electrical engineer!!! Hydro, hydraulics , mechanical, gears, electrical, solenoids and wiring. Engineer, when the factory doesn't get it right enough, we have to re engineer things to make them work. " Automatic Transmission Specialist " Also 4 years in the Air Force working on F4 Phantoms , fighter aircraft. Semi retired and still working 12 hours a day.

 

[Daren Todd]

Spent 7 years installing alarm systems, cctv, and life safety systems (nurse call systems) after bouncing around a bit after high school. Then spent the past 11 years working in the rental business as a mechanic specializing all kinds of pumps.

 

[dandeman]

Primary career as electrical engineer doing product development engineering and later engineering management for a major computer company.

After primary career, worked part time for a small company doing engineering, installation and maintenance of emergency power back up systems e.g. large 48volt DC power plants, uninterruptible power systems and generators.

Licensed amateur radio operator since age 14.

3 years active duty, 4 years reserve in Navy, as electronics maintenance officer aboard a DDG, then fleet staff assignment comshaw 'ing electronics equipment to upgrade tired old ships.

Hobby (and some sideline for pay) welder for 39 years.

 

[Lil Foot]

I'm 62, been retired for seven years from a major aerospace company, (was there 36 yrs & 11 days)
I started a machinist training program at 19 & worked in their production machine shop for 10 yrs, then became a Research Technician/Toolmaker for a group that researched various sensor technologies, finishing my career working on fiber optic gyros & other fiber optic sensors. I also maintained, repaired, & calibrated (19) fiber optic fusion splicers. I have been privileged to work with some of the finest scientists on the planet. (also some of the biggest potato heads)
During this period, I also became a state certified fire fighter, hazmat first responder, got a Red Cross first aid/rescue rating, & became the paid captain of the company fire department, concurrent with my "real" job.
The original company (fantastic) was purchased by a competitor & things went downhill, then years later purchased again, and really went in the dumper. The new management was far more interested in their bonuses than the product, the customer, the employees, and began squeezing, cutting, downsizing, selling off, & eliminating..... so I got out with my sanity & pension, before they eliminated both.
As a side note, when I left, management was NOT happy with my decision, & said I wouldn't be missed, and has since hired (3) people to take over my work duties, and eliminated the fire department.

 

[sawmill]

Pipe fitter/welder/fabricator for 20 years. Then mechanical engineer. Now retired.

 

[skeets]

Federal Mine Inspector underground surface electrical spec. 32 years figured I would give the job to some young kid that needed it. And yes I was a PIA !!!

 

[Creature Meadow]

Interesting responses and a wide range of talents here.

I mentioned I manage the calibration lab for my company which is my primary job.

I also qualify products which are sold to Nuke plants around the globe, this testing is all destructive which is fun. I get to burn, stretch and pull, shrink, and measure various products which are sold to and installed in Nuclear Power Plants.

Anyone used a Instron before, we have one that will pull 120K we use to break/test connectors?

 

[pendoreille]

cryptography ======>woodworker=========>general contractor =====> RETIRED=======>orange tractor operator

 

[Creature Meadow]

I'm 62, been retired for seven years from a major aerospace company, (was there 36 yrs & 11 days)
I started a machinist training program at 19 & worked in their production machine shop for 10 yrs, then became a Research Technician/Toolmaker for a group that researched various sensor technologies, finishing my career working on fiber optic gyros & other fiber optic sensors. I also maintained, repaired, & calibrated (19) fiber optic fusion splicers. I have been privileged to work with some of the finest scientists on the planet. (also some of the biggest potato heads)
During this period, I also became a state certified fire fighter, hazmat first responder, got a Red Cross first aid/rescue rating, & became the paid captain of the company fire department, concurrent with my "real" job.
The original company (fantastic) was purchased by a competitor & things went downhill, then years later purchased again, and really went in the dumper. The new management was far more interested in their bonuses than the product, the customer, the employees, and began squeezing, cutting, downsizing, selling off, & eliminating..... so I got out with my sanity & pension, before they eliminated both.
As a side note, when I left, management was NOT happy with my decision, & said I wouldn't be missed, and has since hired (3) people to take over my work duties, and eliminated the fire department.

I know this was in the past but congrats on the certifications.

I obtained my FF Level 2 back in 1993 and for 20 plus years bounced from a Capt. to a Lieutenant for my department. It is small but we respond to an average of 1200 calls a year.

One of my favorite pics, I'm the officer you can see and my nozzle man is in front of me which you can only see the shield on his helmet.

 

[Vrat]

Telecommunications for 32 years, large networks, fiber optics, RF Microwave, I've pretty much had my hands in it all over the years. I can say if your making a east coast phone call, cellular or land line, you most likely are on a network that I have had something to do with over the years.

 

[David Page]

Mostly carpentry, don't run a crew anymore though, and volunteer as an elder in a baptist church with a corn field behind it - to bad they use green to plant it.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Mostly automotive based work. Spent 9 years in the aftermarket automotive industrial commercial and agricultural parts. A few years as a garage technician,12,000 hours later i challenged the exam and got my red seal certification. 6 years for manitoba government fixing anything that rolled into my shop. Same job involved time as a mixer for the Helitorch. Backburn team. That was the high point. Decided two years ago that my tool addiction needed to start paying me back and started repairing vehicles at home. Now the tool truck comes to me! Its what i love, shop is warm.

 

[Ridger]

Environmental Engineer for past 28 years....still working...hobbies include guitar, hunting, working on tree farm, buying new attachments for orange tractor, and operating orange tractor.

 

[8upbowhunter]

Oil refinery process operator for my first 10 years, board operator my 2nd 10 years and operations supervisor the last 15 years all with the same company. Trained in industrial firefighting and hazmat and part of the refinery fire team and incident command the last 15 years. Retired after 35 years on January 1, 2015 at 54 years old. Got a call from them this past spring looking for help for a major turnaround in September. Came back Sept 12, worked the TAR then got offered to stay through the January 2017 (another major TAR) so I am back working until the end of February then back into retirement.

I had just bought 68 acres in Mississippi in July of this year so they paid for my new tractor and implements with money left over to build a nice getaway camp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Jimc3165]

I know this was in the past but congrats on the certifications.

I obtained my FF Level 2 back in 1993 and for 20 plus years bounced from a Capt. to a Lieutenant for my department. It is small but we respond to an average of 1200 calls a year.

One of my favorite pics, I'm the officer you can see and my nozzle man is in front of me which you can only see the shield on his helmet.

Creature Meadow, that is one cool pic. I spent over 24 years US Navy and every sailor is a fire fighter. I've seen some things like your pic but only in a training situation. I was blessed to have never have been in close in combat nor responded to a real boiler room fire But because of our training scenario's I can appreciate the intestinal fortitude of someone who will run through a door framed in fire like that.

 

[Jimc3165]

As I stated above spent a little over 24 years in the Navy working on DC circuits, power generating systems and mobile AC systems, When I retired I spent a few years selling print media, then purchased a retail music business (big mistake) closed the business 3 years later, went to work for a merchandising company, got permanently laid off after 6 years and went back to school to get a degree in Health Information Technology and when I retired for good was an outpatient Coder for a mid size hospital in S. GA.

 

[Eray]

Retired Locomotive Engineer from CSX Railroad. I hauled all the coal out of Kentucky, so I quit.

 

[Lil Foot]

Creature Meadow- that is a cool pic! Have to see if I have any from the old days.