occupations

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Points
140
Location
Tunbridge Wells
Model of Z
Z3 2.8
Got a CSE grade 3 in maths at school and a grade E in computer studies.

Have worked in IT for 30 years currently surrounded by actuaries administering modelling software.

A lot of pressure is put on kids nowadays along the lines that qualifications are everything, actually they are nothing.
I worked in an office in the early 90's with an IBM AS400 mainframe, I am guessing from your user name you are IBM?
 

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Points
140
Location
Tunbridge Wells
Model of Z
Z3 2.8

MisterP007

German-Italian-British Mix - What could go wrong?
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Points
140
Location
Tunbridge Wells
Model of Z
Z3 2.8
I am one of the lucky one just retired at 58 with a defined benefit pension using rule of 85 from my years in the water industry , know spending 3 days a week fixing washing machines , cookers etc
So 27 years in your Scheme then!

I thought I was the only one on here who knew what "Rule of 85" was (Independent Financial Adviser). I have a fair few clients who were overjoyed when I pointed out they could retire on Full Scheme Pension because of this rule. Imagine if they had not sought advice and found out 7 or 8 years later they could have retired early!
 

Palmetto

Zorg Addict
Joined
Feb 12, 2020
Points
64
Location
West Yorkshire
Model of Z
Palmetto Green 2.8
Have worked in IT for 30 years currently surrounded by actuaries administering modelling software.
@as400 Just saw your FS post that led me here. I presume by your username, you work on the IBM AS/400 (or iSeries). I'm a software engineer, been working on the As400 for 30 years. Is it really that long? *cries in RPG/LE*
 

Andybpowell

Zorg Guru (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
May 19, 2022
Points
114
Location
Southend-On-Sea, essex
Model of Z
80kw ev
Personally I've had an erratic and varied work life it went something like this
White goods repair
Brown goods repair
security system design, installation and maintenance
10 years at the MOD DERA
pcb design
surveyor
and finished it off with 20 yrs in the waste water industry (or s*!t shoveller as I used to tell people)

But it didn't work out too bad as I retired 2 years ago at 55
now I'm a lady of leisure well thats what the wife calls me.
:)
 

t-tony

Zorg Expert (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
#ZedShed
Joined
Dec 31, 2013
Points
226
Location
Torksey Lock,Lincoln, England
Model of Z
E89 Z4 23i Auto
A friend of ours was at Wilko. She's going to start looking after New Year. For the first time in many years she won't be working over the festive period. I, for one, don't blame her.

Tony.
 

D R Oldfield

Zorg Guru (I)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 1, 2018
Points
99
Location
Barrow-in-Furness
Model of Z
2.8
So 27 years in your Scheme then!

I thought I was the only one on here who knew what "Rule of 85" was (Independent Financial Adviser). I have a fair few clients who were overjoyed when I pointed out they could retire on Full Scheme Pension because of this rule. Imagine if they had not sought advice and found out 7 or 8 years later they could have retired early!

34 Years, I actually enjoyed my job and I got paid for driving my z around the lake district for work , as I covered most of Cumbria and claimed mileage , I did get some rather interesting looks when i turned up on site in a open top sports car especially when senior management were there
 

Duncodin

Zorg Guru (III)
Supporter
Joined
Sep 8, 2021
Points
136
Location
Pontrhydyrun
Model of Z
Z3 M44
I left school at 14 without any qualifications. Not even a CSE.

Got into software development. Well, it's not rocket science.

My skill was creating protocols which allowed devices to communicate with other devices that weren't designed to communicate with anything.

Many years later I'm (almost) "done coding". Still do a bit because it's fun and still have a little bit from royalties to help with the pension.
 
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Andy 4D

Zorg Addict
Joined
Jan 2, 2020
Points
54
Location
Glasgow
Model of Z
Z3 Individual 2.0
40 years working as a freelance Cameraman in the Film and TV industry. Started in 1983 as a camera assistant loading the rolls of film, doing the clapper board, writing up all the information for the film laboratory and editors. Have worked in both drama and documentaries and have been lucky enough to travel much of the world. Winding down now towards retirement but still keeping my hand in doing mostly corporate work now. It’s been a fabulous career literally doing stuff you only see on TV, haven’t made a fortune but wouldn’t change it for the world.
 

RB2

Zorg Legend
British Zeds
Joined
Sep 1, 2022
Points
74
Location
Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
Model of Z
Bogo
I am involved in the supply of our cars favourite consumable. That's me in the middle. This trip was to perminantly abandon a well a few years back. More and more jobs nowadays are plugging them up than bringing them to life. Not quiet the end of an era in the UK but not the game it once was.

Screenshot_20231021_170204_Instagram.jpg
 
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Kenhayes247

Zorg Legend
Supporter
Joined
Jun 17, 2019
Points
74
Location
Meissendorf
Model of Z
3
I left school at 15 to train as a butcher and was managing a shop 3 years later. Aged 20 I joined the British Army as a private soldier and left 30 years later aged 50 as a commissioned officer. The British Army pension was one of the best schemes of any employer world wide so since leaving I have stayed retired.
 

Pond

Zorg Guru (I)
British Zeds
Joined
Dec 26, 2016
Points
94
Location
Spaldingski, Lincs
Model of Z
Z3 project and E89 Z4
Left school at 16 after 'O' levels as wanted to earn a living asap. Trained to be an accountant for 3 years but got sick of looking at numbers all day. Got an apprenticeship in a local refrigeration and air conditioning company. Got fully qualified (to HND) then set up on my own 31 years ago. Semi-retired now but still work for just two companies as a semi-consultant (without the fees) and designer.

Like many industries; the legislation and form-filling has ruined my industry. Not fun anymore!
 

John_B

Zorg Addict
British Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Jun 2, 2023
Points
53
Location
Derbyshire, UK
Model of Z
Z3 1.9
I always wanted to be an airline pilot (still do-ish). I got my commercial pilot's licence in 2010, but it was an awful time in the industry and the only viable option at the time was to pay Ryanair £30k for the privilege of being on a zero-hours contract. No thanks.

I fell into a call-centre job while I was pilot job-hunting, discovered a love for playing with Excel and worked my way up from there. I'm now a Business Intelligence Manager, bizarrely enough - in the aviation industry 😂
 
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