How did you end up doing what you do, or did, for a living?

[moparedtn]

That’s an easy one. Dad was a union construction electrician ………..then so was I.

IBEW?

 

[ksurfer2]

I grew up around the beach and ocean, was always a swimmer, swam competitively, played water polo, surfed, sailed, windsurfed, kite surfed. Anything in or around the water. It was only natural that my first jobs were as a lifeguard and teaching kids to swim. I worked for city pools, water parks, and on the beach. That turned into a job training and supervising lifeguards and pool operations for a local government and developing training criteria for lifeguarding with the Red Cross. After a lot of years and a few promotions, I am now the parks and recreation director for a town in Florida.

This is from a newspaper article a whole bunch of years ago

 

[440+6]

At one point in a very young age of 24 I decided I was going to build things back then they would loan money to anyone interest rates were 18% for commercial loans I borrowed the money like there was no tomorrow I started building commercial shopping centers in small industrial buildings fast forward I retired at 48 years old with more than I could ever use in 10 lifetimes the United States was very good to me and I will always appreciate that

 

[Charles Cook]

From watching all the sci-fi type shows from the 60's and the Apollo space program, I was always curious about computers. My parents didn't have the money to send me to college and there were no grants or scholarships available. My first thought was to join the military but after many of my friends, one year ahead of me, convinced me not to, my options were limited. I ended up going to one of those private technical schools that advertise on Saturday afternoon TV. It was a self paced electronics/computer certificate program that normally takes 2 years. I got my Certificate in 9 months.

After graduation I got word that a Silicon Valley company was interviewing. I went to the interview and the company offered me, my roommate and one of my teachers a job. We all accepted. Companies needed people quick and were willing to train people with any degree of computer training. Once I got my foot in the door I worked my up to Engineer over the years. After 40 or so years, the industry has changed drastically. I was forced into retirement during COVID.

During my career I travelled to several continents and been involved with a wide range of computer related sites. Early on I designed one of the first digital image systems for Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. Toward the end of my career I worked on large systems for NASCAR Media Group, CDC, and NOAA.

Hey @Richard Davis, you happen to get the chance to meet Ron?

 

[Richard Davis]

Hey @Richard Davis, you happen to get the chance to meet Ron?

View attachment 1706210

View attachment 1706211

I was working behind the scenes in the factory. They gave me the specs they wanted and I put the design together. Our Field Service team did the install. I remained friends with our main installer over the decades but unfortunately, he passed away a few years back. He said they were a tight group so I would expect that my friend met Ron.

 

[Charles Cook]

I was working behind the scenes in the factory. They gave me the specs they wanted and I put the design together. Our Field Service team did the install. I remained friends with our main installer over the decades but unfortunately, he passed away a few years back. He said they were a tight group so I would expect that my friend met Ron.

He was a very talented man. I met him at a art gallery here in town about 4 years ago.

 

[Builderguy]

Left high school with a fully paid ROTC scholarship to any college that had an ROTC program. I lived in Ironwood, MI and wanted to get as far away as I could. Choose University of Miami, Coral Gables FL, figured that was far enough away. After two years of mechanical engineering classes I decided I liked my girlfriend more than I liked college. Left school and went back to Ironwood (you know, young, dumb, and full of ....). Anyway, went to the local community college at night taking all the automotive classes I could fit in. Decided I wanted to make more money than mechanics were getting paid so I went back to college, Michigan State University.

I really liked fishing and hunting so I choose Wildlife Biology (big game specialist) for major. Worked part-time for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Law Enforcement Division. I liked the work so after I got my degree I went to the local police academy so I would have the law enforcement and biology background before applying for a Conservation Officer job. All was going as planned until the governor (Blanchard) put a state hiring freeze in place.

To keep my police officer certification I had to work for a police department with full police powers. Ended up taking a job in Alma, MI. It was okay (don't ever become union president) but it did allow me to meet my wife, who worked nights at the local hospital. She is great, so I would never change what got me to meet her. Small town police pay is not the best so, since I knew construction (built my first A-frame home the summer I turned 16), I started a construction company. Licensed, insured, and built damn good homes. Construction is tough, and working nights at the same time, was getting a little old. So, after ten years, I retired from the department and switched to
building full-time. Had a lot of fun and made a ton of money, where it went, I don't know but what a ride it was. Had a great 10 year run! That is, until the housing market took a dump. Guys in the business were building at a loss, robbing Peter to pay Paul.

One day my wife said she heard Dow Corning was hiring for their Hemlock Semiconductor plant. Applied and got the job. Worked my way up from the bottom (reactor care operator) up to the shops (analyzer tech). Loved the guys/gals I worked with and the pay was just fine with me. We got to go everywhere in the plant troubleshooting a ton of different equipment. Had a blast and, for the most part, management left us alone. The job required a lot of stair climbing and I wasn't getting any younger. Wasn't a problem but I knew it would be sooner than later. So, after 15 years, decided it was time to lower the curtain.

When I told my wife of my plans, she said something to the effect of: I am not working all day while you sit in the garage working on cars, not going to happen, I am retiring too.

We retired within two weeks of each other. PERFECT

 

[68gtxman]

I worked a lot of “first jobs” when I was going through college and graduated with a BSME degree. Went into the USAF as an officer and worked in civil engineering for them. I left active duty after 6 years but I stayed in the reserves. I worked for RCA/GE for about 6 years, then went back on active duty again for a few years. Then, I worked for a general contractor as their senior project manager and built a bunch of buildings for them (I hated the company owner so I only lasted a few years there). I went back on active duty again and spent the last 8 years on active duty as the USAF’s engineering consultant on legal claims against them on construction contracts. I kind of liked doing that, so before I retired, I decided to start my own business working on legal cases as a forensic engineer. I started slow there and while waiting to grow my business, I went to work for another general contractor and built two 1,000 student elementary schools. My forensic engineering business took off when I left that job and now I turn away cases because I only want to work part time. I make triple working part time than I ever made working full time. My advice to young people is to start your own business as quickly as you can!

 

[Hey-O]

Started out at a dental supply house as a dental rep selling anything a dentist would need, including whole operatories. It was all great till Theresa and I started dating, she worked there. She had no desire to get serious with a guy that spent his days traveling out of town, during the week, from hygienist to hygienist, rumours weren't my friend. So, I quit and took an apprenticeship to be a carpenter, my God what a change. The money selling supplies was huge compared to an apprentice and the work was hard, cold, then hot, and then slow when the snow flew in the winter months. While building houses was rewarding, the weather just sucked. Now, I'm married and to far down the road to go back to school and this is not what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Up the ladder I went and I don't mean outside on a house, displays and furniture maker. Doing well and all union jobs, till I needed more. I was recruited by Chrysler for the upcoming retooling of the North plant in Fenton Missouri. Tons of new offices, conference tables and desks for the plant manager up front. He and I became best friends and the rest is history and a glories ride to the finish line. Building houses, not really, but I used my training in construction to do what I really was meant to do, rolling houses. Between the two jobs, my life was busy till I retired. Flipped my last condo a few years ago and now, I'm done........... Local 1987, 110, and 136.

Some people look down their noses at a construction worker or should I say, any guy with busted knuckles and a few scars. Work is what you make of it or push yourself to achieve. I'm 68 and I've been retired for 16 years, yes, a few scars and a jacked up finger, that still hates the cold, but Theresa was worth it................ All good stories are about a woman............

 

[TorRed]

Starting around 10 I helped my brother with his paper route, too young to get my own, he didn't like delivering the morning papers at 4:00 in the morning so that became my job. Tons of 'interesting' stories about being out at that time of night!

Progress to 13 my brother had just quit a kitchen job at the local country club so I knew they were hiring at a time most weren't. Filled out an application and lied saying I was 15. They said if I lied and told them I was 16 I had the job, I said sure I'm 16! Two years later when I still didn't have my drivers license the country club manager asked me, "just how old were you when I hired you?" I just smiled and didn't say a word. It was during this time I paid cash first for my Schwinn 10 speed, then for my Suzuki 185, then my 4-year old 1970 Roadrunner.

Parents moved when I was 16 during the mid 70's when absolutely no one was hiring. I went to the local employment office and the lady there had like three total openings, I wasn't qualified for any of them except one for the local country club and since I had that experience she sent me over and I was hired. I was extremely happy to have landed a job during a time even McDonald's wasn't hiring. Worked there until I went off to college, working as a dish washer, chef and even bartender which was funny since I wasn't even 18 yet.

Crammed 4 years of college into 10 years, first in Pre-med, then IT working full time or more the entire time trying to pay my way. Did summer time industrial construction work, automotive warehouse work, Teamsters freight dock work, more restaurants, sold shoes at the mall, worked for an accountant during tax season, and finally got a job in Operations at the college I was attending. That was in 1980, I've been working on mainframes ever since. First person to make the jump to Systems Programming from Operations in over ten years at my college, lots of bad blood between those two groups.

I've worked on almost every aspect of mainframe computing; applications programing, systems programing, Engineering Manager, Enterprise Architect / Sr Manager, System z (mainframe) architect at IBM for 11 years, back to systems programming and management and now (and hopefully finally) I'm working for a small mainframe hosting and services company in senior management.

I'm approaching retirement age and the number one thing threatening the platform is that everyone like me that has such knowledge is either already retired or not far from doing so. Companies like IBM have tons of well meaning but clueless younger employees that replaced workers like me in order to 'de-dinosaur' IBM (from an IBM internal memo) that only know the platform skin deep. The good news is that's what makes the few of us that are left so valuable to companies like mine that I'm compensated accordingly.

And like many have said here, God was with me every step of the way and even though I didn't necessarily make every move 100% right or at the right time, I can look back at a lot of the moves I made and knew my 'gut' told me when to move and when not to and in reality my gut was something more I've always given thanks for to the one above.

 

[68BabyBlue]

Some people look down their noses at a construction worker or should I say, any guy with busted knuckles and a few scars. Work is what you make of it or push yourself to achieve. I'm 68 and I've been retired for 16 years, yes, a few scars and a jacked up finger, that still hates the cold, but Theresa was worth it................ All good stories are about a woman............

My mother was a terrible example of this attitude. Ironic, considering that her own father, a carpenter, built an extremely successful construction company in New York City, and had no higher education. She and my father both attended college for free at City College in New York, then fled to Penn State after they got married. Both quickly assimilated into the academic culture, and used the staff discount to earn masters degrees. Dad learned carpentry from his father in law, and worked with him to build the home where I grew up. He retained his practical skills, and respect for them in others, even as he moved up the academic ladder.

On the other hand, my mother judged success purely in terms of academic achievement. I failed her miserably in that department, and she never forgave me for it. I would have preferred to have her support my choices, but proving her wrong became a major motivator for me. I was fortunate my wife found it amusing when my truck driving earnings eclipsed those of her academic colleagues.

 

[Ron H]

Amazing life/career stories, common theme is not giving up and working your asses off. I’ve read many of your posts on various subjects and have been incredibly impressed by the knowledge and experience, now I have a better idea why.

Anyway, find it nice to know you all behind the posts a bit more and getting to know you better.

As I look back on my career, as some have talked about here, there were just stellar people in my working life, bosses, co-workers, teachers, and then some of those who were not. Something we all share. As I'm digressing, a shout out to the first stellar guy, in my first job, Gene Snow (Geno) co-owner of the machine shop, who knew how to handle a punk 16-year-old so damn well, lol. Was a SAD day attending his memorial service a few decades later.

 

[Hey-O]

My mother was a terrible example of this attitude. Ironic, considering that her own father, a carpenter, built an extremely successful construction company in New York City, and had no higher education. She and my father both attended college for free at City College in New York, then fled to Penn State after they got married. Both quickly assimilated into the academic culture, and used the staff discount to earn masters degrees. Dad learned carpentry from his father in law, and worked with him to build the home where I grew up. He retained his practical skills, and respect for them in others, even as he moved up the academic ladder.

On the other hand, my mother judged success purely in terms of academic achievement. I failed her miserably in that department, and she never forgave me for it. I would have preferred to have her support my choices, but proving her wrong became a major motivator for me. I was fortunate my wife found it amusing when my truck driving earnings eclipsed those of her academic colleagues.

I'm proud of you, like me, we never got anything for free and you failed no one. It's a path and we followed it!!! See, a great story is always about a woman.

 

[Ceedawg]

Wanted to be a mechanic but..
My dad had started a cabinet business on a whim when I was 15, he said he had nothing so he couldn’t lose anything. I helped part time until my uncles wanted me over at his Dodge place. So I was there till I was 23, got tired of the dirty shite work so went back to pops. Stayed there for 50 more years taking over the joint and running it by myself in 1992. Never made big money just a living making pieces of art, as the one lady said, all custom built. No set hours and no paycheck, just a bank account to draw from. Cash jobs were nice, always had a little money in the pocket.
I had my cars as a hobby, never to be burnt out working during the day then working on them at night. Made a few races cars from scratch in that time and on one now, 70 Duster to run E/S auto.
I could NOT work for anyone today after being my own boss for so long! I spent 40 grand and 9 months moving out of shop, 5 40 cubic yard dumpsters, amazing the junk one accumulates in 55 years. Still have 90% stored in different places.
I’m proud of what I made and accomplished in my lifetime, 75 now

 

[Ron H]

Stayed there for 50 more years taking over the joint and running it by myself in 1992.

Great story and glad you were happy doing what you did. It’s odd for me as I never had any intentions to start a biz; but that’s what I did at 45-years-old, despite hating corporate the politics. Longer story, but I got a nice severance package to exit my last employer. I was making nice money and had built a house two-years earlier. Kids in HS, wife had a job she liked being there over 10-years. To find a comparable job required moving and that was sure a hard do all considering at the time.

Discussing a biz startup with two friends, one already establishing his biz, they said if I do, they’d be able to give me some contract work. That was that. The old saying worked for me – not what you know, it is who you know. Later referrals gave me more work and did all right for the next 21-years; the covid prompted me to retire a bit sooner than I planned. Zoom meetings weren’t my thing. When I closed up my shop, referred my biz to the guy who helped me get my start as some payback. And good thing I was able to get on my wife’s HC insurance, as this looked like it could have been a deal breaker. All the required insurance I had to have was costly enough and NOT one claim in 21-years of paying thousands each year...figured it amounted to some 150-grand in premiums..

 

[Davefinan]

IBEW?

You got it!

 

[streetstrip_ch]

I've a degree in Information Technology, so not very specific about any IT topic, I've done different types of programming, game dev, firmware, etc, I think I had the most fun developing firmwares. Currently I work as a DevOps.
I'm not good with dates, but if I'm correct I was 6 when I saw my first computer, it was love at the first sight.
I got my mother to enroll me in a course, and I started there, got my first pc a few year later, a 486 dx4-100.
I started watching a guy who was developing a software for my fathers company and learned some programming, at that time there was no internet (at least where I lived), so it was book or asking around.
nowadays, I try to reject tech as much as I can, I already have to work with it during the day, so no electronics for me, I don't walk around with a phone as well, I hate those things.

 

[Ceedawg]

Great story and glad you were happy doing what you did. It’s odd for me as I never had any intentions to start a biz; but that’s what I did at 45-years-old, despite hating corporate the politics. Longer story, but I got a nice severance package to exit my last employer. I was making nice money and had built a house two-years earlier. Kids in HS, wife had a job she liked being there over 10-years. To find a comparable job required moving and that was sure a hard do all considering at the time.

Discussing a biz startup with two friends, one already establishing his biz, they said if I do, they’d be able to give me some contract work. That was that. The old saying worked for me – not what you know, it is who you know. Later referrals gave me more work and did all right for the next 21-years; the covid prompted me to retire a bit sooner than I planned. Zoom meetings weren’t my thing. When I closed up my shop, referred my biz to the guy who helped me get my start as some payback. And good thing I was able to get on my wife’s HC insurance, as this looked like it could have been a deal breaker. All the required insurance I had to have was costly enough and NOT one claim in 21-years of paying thousands each year...figured it amounted to some 150-grand in premiums..

Yes insurance is a big scam, but you have to have it or else. We had two claims in all those years and neither were our fault but we did it to save the bad mouthing to come. Like you we never advertised other than a line in yellow pages (how old is that?) just word of mouth, never standing still, always booked. NOW you have an understanding of being on the owner side with expenses. Glad you made it

 

[moparedtn]

You got it!

Thought so. I was in the Sprinkler Fitters Local 669 as a young fella (required where I was in DC/Balmer area).

 

[Ron H]

was 6 when I saw my first computer,

My wife is a programmer, has worked mostly from home the last 10-years, about full retired now, but she keeps getting called back to pop in on one project here and there. The timing for me with the advent of computers seemed pretty fast. In tech school the calculus course had just switched from learning slide rules to doing it on a calculator, expensive purchase back then with all the functions I had to have, like a 100-bucks – then. And the drafting courses I took were dinosaur as the tech exploded there. Before going on to tech school, worked at a machine shop making parts for micro-film machines, slide rods, lens housings, and those went bye-bye.

We bought our 1st home computer in the mid-80’s and not long after was issued a laptop and bag-phone from work. At that time cell-service was crap, more often still had to hunt down a pay phone. At that time was dictating the long field reports on a cassette sending those in to our secretary to type up. Then required to type those out myself. Wish I had taken typing courses in HS as there was a long learning curve. Yeah, at my age, remember life w/o all this stuff, traveling all over still relying on paper road maps or stopping at a gas station for directions or staring at the area map they had posted.