occupations

[MisterP007]

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]

Ah, I know who you are now....

View attachment 281757

Looking at the Chinese Robot Conference recently "dog-welding" may even be a useful skill!

 

[MisterP007]

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]

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]

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.

 

[bombur]

Currently don't have one...on 3 months garden leave and in IBIZA...need to start thinking about this work lark again soon

 

[t-tony]

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]

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

 

[E36Z]

Just intrested to find out what occupations members have ?

State Farm insurance

 

[Duncodin]

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.

 

[Andy 4D]

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]

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.

 

[Kenhayes247]

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]

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]

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