What do you do??

[londonsean69]

Having finished down the garage for the evening, I got to pondering.

One of the things I pondered on is what do people do? You know, for a living / job / employment.

It seems like a right mix of people on here, all with different skill sets etc.

One of the diving forums I used to frequent did this, and it was quite an eye opener what some people did for a living.

I'll start:D

I'm a CAD monkey. I do all the technical drawings and schematics for civil and electrical works on electricity substations (upto 132kV).
Not my usual work - that is designing roads, but when I got back to the UK I took it as a 6 week contract. Have been there 21 months now:eek:

Please don't feel obliged to do this, I'm just being a bit nosey:D

[jasongray5]

Lived on a farm since I was 5, so do a fair bit of that as and when needed throughout the seasons...
Main Job, Home supervisor in a care home for learning disabled adults with challenging behaviour. Leading a staff team of 8, our home specialises with violence and destruction. Youve got so much trust in your fellow workers to "watch your back" Used to give me a right buzz, but now its just standard to me?

[tkpm]

I have been do property maintenance which is a posh name for a handy man for the last 11 years and 19 years carpet fitting before that.

[AshG]

I’m a full time government network engineer. I also do freelance IT support for small to medium businesses that pay an annual fee,
as well as doing the odd bit of engineering/welding for friends. Oh and I write part time for CKC magazine.

I don’t have much time left over each week, but what is left i try and spend doing up my house and with the other half.

[Tilly819]

Hi all, i am an industrial process and control engineer, and before this i used to work at and aerospace company as a machinest and sheet metal worker.
i also do odd jobs for people repairing cars poticualy bodywork and paint

tilly

[Land Locked]

Yello folks.
I'm a qualified motor "mechanician" the (VW/Audi term for a mechanic). Got tired of being taken advantage of and being pushed around. Had a disagreement with the boss and ended up throwing the phone and vehicle keys at the boss and walked out.(best choice I ever made)

Started working as a handyman and got sidetracked into gate automation and home security.

[Tatey]

Im a student studying Mechanical Engineering at Newcastle uni and im currently in the Territorial Army.

[dogwood]

I'm retired........:p

But I was a Marine Engineer.
My job involved pretty much everything to keep the ship running.
You name it I've probably fixed it......or bodged it..:eek:

David

[VladD]

I'm an IT consultant who works with companies who are implementing or running Oracle's HR and Payroll system. I live in Exeter but am currently working in Warwick for the company that runs the payroll for most of the NHS. We pay 1.2 million staff every month. Sadly that means I'm only home for the weekends, so my build could be quite a drawn out affair.

[DaddyA]

Hi,

In the Navy (no singing please) as a Marine Engineer (stoker) for the last 25yrs, although having progressed through the ranks I do not get much hands on anymore. I did specialize in Diesel engines (basically same as the ones used on the trains), everything from oil changes to strip downs, and everything else a ship needs to keep itself self sufficient.

Currently I now teach Ships - firefighting and damage control (flooding) including chemical / nuclear defence.

Nice to get my hands dirty:D

[Coozer]

Well, I used to a quality engineer for a tier 1 automotive.. enough of that...

I'm now unemployed, thoroughly enjoying not having to make excuses to men in suits at Jaguar.. to my surprise I actually get less done now than when I was working.. help I'm falling into a downward spiral:eek: :eek:

[aerosam]

I'm an aircraft engineer, i work at an engine overhaul plant which repairs/overhauls General Electric GE90 engines (boeing 777) Rolls Royce RB211 (Boeing 747/757) CFMi CFM56 (Various Boeings and airbus range) and now the Engine Alliance GP7200 (Airbus A380).

We previously were the only shop i the world doing concorde engines, I had the pleasure of being part of the team that tested the last of them.

In the last 10 years I have worked in testing, assembly, finance (very boring) and for the last few years I've trained up as a plasma/thermal spray repair specialist. Very interesting work using robots and very high powered hydrogen/electric fired guns to spray metal. Here's a terrible old american video that does however explain the whole process very well. Some really old technology being used here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKUm4Wi8CuU

Search on youtube for plasma spray - loads on there.

[Bonzo]

to my surprise I actually get less done now than when I was working.. help I'm falling into a downward spiral


I can relate to that, where does the day go !!?? :eek:


Right Here goes

Retired early due to health problems :(

Left school when I was 15 ( Not a typo. Just hated school )

Served my time as a Butcher, Found the wages crap & just couldn't make ends meat :o

Re-trained as a welder, easy for me as it was my family background.

Most of my working life has been in the dockyard & structural steel industry. But have had many intesting & varied jobs over the years.

Always had an active part in the family buisines when time allowed . Agricultural repair & Automotive restoration.
I later went on to run this part time from home.

Been building my Roadster for the last couple of years, as & when my health allows.

Well that's me folks :)

[ozzy1]

Im a mechanical engineer,(fitting and machining).
Last job in the uk was for Aerospace and Defence on a cnc wire erosion machine.
Now live here in Oz working for a large iron ore producer on a gyro crusher as a fitter maintaining basically everything thats bolted down.
I work away for 2 weeks then get 1 week off(fly in,fly out). 1 week of days then 1 week of nights.(12 hour shifts)
Currently just start of summer so hitting 40 degrees and prob mid 50's at peak!!bit of a culture shock.
You can look on google earth for jimblebar mine,newman,western australia .

[mark]

I served my time as a plater when i left school then 5 years later retrained as a mechanical fitter/LEV tester, so i could go into business with my dad and brother. We airflow test local exhaust ventilation systems on lots of things ranging from science lab fume cupboards to weld extraction systems and carry out any maintenance on the adjoining extraction systems replacing bearings/motors etc. We also work on the drive/filtration systems of large air supply systems that supply air under pressure to suites where drugs are made to stop cross contamination.

[adrianreeve]

I'm an Engineer Surveyor for a large insurance company, so spend my days crawling over lifts / cranes / fork lift trucks / anything that lifts, making sure they're safe for further use. Also get to do a bit of accident investigation work sometimes, but don't get my hands dirty so much these days as I climb the greasy pole of large corporation promotion!

I get to work from home which is good for the build, but also have 2 and 4 year old boys, so time is actually a limited resource!

Cheers

Adrian

[flyerncle]

Manager/Mechanic in independant VW/Audi specialist.
HGV 1 driver in Europe at one time.
Almost forgot,fork lift engineer.
Middle account manager fleet maintainence company looking after a local companys HGV's and thousands of other vehicles for the largest independant management company in England.
Made bread and pies !
Develoment engineer for a waste management company (load of 5h1te)
Most of working life in the motor trade.

[paul the 6th]

Graphic designer (it's nice to be different :P)

I design and supply cad cut vinyl artwork (the self adhesive stuff) mainly for conferenecs and exhibitions but I'm really trying to diversify lately (vehicles, shops, anything really). I recently purchased a wide format printer (24inches), a laminator and a heat press, so I'm breaking into customised clothing and printed artwork such as canvasses and other large format prints.

I also freelance as an Audio/Visual technician on the conferences after a bit of blagging (I studied media production in college so covered everything from writing & recording for broadcast radio, video recording & editing, print layout & design, working with different media & technical equipment etc... so my skills are quite broad really :)

[Chris Gibbs]

I used to be a civil engineer, although people I know think that I'm far from civil most of the time :D

Bit of a loose end at the moment, writing books about cars, but watch this space ;)

Cheers

Chris :)

[fabbyglass]

.............:o :o :o :o

[Muffin]

My main job is guarding.....:rolleyes:

I also run around barking a lot, and scrounging sosigiz..

Woof

[LeonN]

i left school (was asked to) at 16.
shamelessly sold stuff to people till i was 18 walst partying real hard.
took of chasing a lass to oz and ended up managing and driving for a melon farm.
came back to the uk and worked for 5 years as a joiner and builder for a firm with very high standards. though never got my papers.
when the owner retired i was self employed for 18 months doing shop fits and kitchens or bathrooms.
last Christmas i started looking for something moor permanent so got my HGV license only to end up learning to be a welder and fabricator with a local firm who do all sorts from galvanized boats to railway sheds.

so thats the last and first decade of my working life. wunder wot comes next?

[Jimmyd]

Left school half way through my A levels to sell cars :confused: That was the start of my 17yrs working in a Ford dealership. Last 3yrs I have been a Territory Manager for a finance company. Funding vehicles & equipment, that's been interesting over the past 18mths :eek:

J

[HandyAndy]

i left school at 16, went into the merchant navy, trained as a chef on cargo ships then worked on cruise ships for 7 yrs as a Bartender ( yes i was a bar steward :D ).
left the sea then for some strange reason ended up in the transport industry, last post was depot manager for a franchise parcel delivery firm.

:) My most recent work can be read about in the Saturn Sports Cars thread ;)

cheers
andy

[londonsean69]

i left school (was asked to) at 16.
shamelessly sold stuff to people till i was 18 walst partying real hard.


Helter Skelter by any chance??

[spud69]

Well here's a long one:

Left school, A levels at college, Engineering degree at Portsmouth, worked for waterboard for 10 years, left (dummy) and went contracting as contracts manager for Alfred McAlpines for 8 years, went self employed plumbing for 5 years and now setup a limited company building sports cars and bodies for ????? years.

You've got to do what you enjoy and get satisfaction from after all you don't live to work you work to live. You don't want to get to 70 and think i wish i had done that!!

[Land Locked]

...
You've got to do what you enjoy and get satisfaction from after all you don't live to work you work to live. You don't want to get to 70 and think i wish i had done that!!

Really wise words those, pity it takes most of us sooooo long to figure it out.

[andyuk697]

hi all

i spent 10 years fitting garage doors + automatic gates etc then packed that in and found myself being assistant manager to a building plastics company just down the road

cheers Andy

[geeman]

Hi, Im currently 17 at school in year 12 and have just started my as levels.

not much more to say..... :)

[andy_hem]

This is my first post on here i thought it was a good place to start

I am currently employed by BAE Systems based at RAF Marham on the Tornado Availability Contract.
My job is to manage the RAF's inventory and schedule the Engineers work

Before this i worked as a Planning Manager at a food factory 10 years

Andy

[Ryan W]

Sounds like a good place for my first thread too seeing as i only started my chassis build today!

I work as a fabricator/welder for a pretty well known motorsport company in Banbury, although stock control at Tesco provided me with my beer tokens to begin with it was only ever temporary... for almost 4 years!!

R

[tkpm]

Forgot to say i was working for a local undertaker for 4 years, but it was a died end job :D :D

[davidimurray]

Well for me my brushes with engineering go back to when I was 15 and started volunteering on a preserved railway - was a fantastic experience and got to do all sorts of stuff and learnt so much from the guys there. Then it was off to uni but went back there every holidays in various jobs - tracklayer, construction engineer and eventually ending up as their draiughtsman. After uni I decided that getting a real job was too much like hard work so stayed on for another 4 years to do an Engineering Doctorate in partnership with the steelmkaer Corus. When I finished that I was offered a job with Corus and joined their projects team which basically means I do anything and everything required that is out of the ordinary. Most of my work is involved with future plans for our blast furnaces but this can mean that one day i'm sat in the office developing cocnepts and budgets and the next I can be up the top of the furnace doing inspections and working with contractors to get work done - a real variety of work!

[Balidey]

I studied Mech Eng at Uni, then fell straight into the job I am now in, for the past 14 years. I am a Design Engineer for a vehicle manufacturer. Mainly 3D cad work on Solidworks, but I am heavily involved with design, manufacture, purchasing, stock control, testing, system control, electrics, hydraulics, pneumatics, making tea, sorting out crap. When my manager left I did try office management for about 6 months, but hated it, so now back to proper working again. I really enjoy the work, the company, the people so never wanted to move on. And with access to full fabrication equipement and lasers, presses, punches etc it should give me a big help for when I finally start on my build. The one thing I lack is time. The family use all that up for me.

But Muffins post had me in stiches... sosigiz :D


My main job is guarding.....:rolleyes:
I also run around barking a lot, and scrounging sosigiz..
Woof

[Trophy Blue]

Hi,

In the Navy (no singing please) as a Marine Engineer (stoker) for the last 25yrs, although having progressed through the ranks I do not get much hands on anymore. I did specialize in Diesel engines (basically same as the ones used on the trains), everything from oil changes to strip downs, and everything else a ship needs to keep itself self sufficient.

Currently I now teach Ships - firefighting and damage control (flooding) including chemical / nuclear defence.

Nice to get my hands dirty:D


I am guessing that would be the Napier Deltic? I was in sweepers for a while, we had so much piston slap that the stack (exhaust) used to catch fire on a weekly basis

OOps sorry, back to he thread, I run a bodyshop in West Cornwall, thats car bodywork, not apricot scrubs!

[thwang]

i started out wanting to be a welder like my father he was a class A sigma 9 full bag of mashings welder where he worked only 7 welders were qualifided to work on valves for nuclear power station. didnt finish my collage course for welding moved on to be a light engineer/ car mechanic for a couple of years. then had a stint in a electrical motor manufactors left that after 14 years was only going to be there for 6 months then went in to commercial body building for about 3 years loved the job but the money was poor now currently work for allsops precision sheet metal workers.started welding at 13 cos my dad wouldnt weld my bike exhaust till after he,d been to the pub lol one sunday dinner first time i had arc eye my eyes still water when i think back to it
thwang

[NEroadster]

Did the whole university thing and ended up with a Masters in Mechanical engineering. Worked as a design engineer on a military vehicle in the south of england but living in the south is way expensive so returned to the north where I went to UNI.

currently working for BAE systems in Newcastle working on military vehicles such as main battle tanks (Challenger2). I am also the company expert on 3d modelling and general design / draughting practices

[Tatey]

Do BAE systems take on many students for placement years? :D

[DaddyA]

I am guessing that would be the Napier Deltic? I was in sweepers for a while, we had so much piston slap that the stack (exhaust) used to catch fire on a weekly basis

OOps sorry, back to he thread, I run a bodyshop in West Cornwall, thats car bodywork, not apricot scrubs!

No, I had the luxury of Paxmans - Valenta's and Ventura's but mainly valenta's.

The ones that whine alot and leak like a seive!! The old inter city 125 engines I think.

[allterrain]

After leaving school I completed my apprenticship in automotive engineering,obtaining Advance Trade Certificate,spent 20 yrs in the motor industry,before leaving to become a building supervisor for a residential building firm for 4yrs. Set up and now run my own Earthmoving Business driving a compact skidsteer loader (Bobcat) 5 Yrs. Also Drive aeroplanes in my spare time(parachute dropping and glider towing mainly).Am also a volunteer fire fighter with our local brigade.

[gingea1pom]

Evening,

I am a Sergeant in the Royal Engineers, I am a plant operator mechanic by trade although I don ‘t do very much operating now it is all troop management, road design and dealing with the young lads when they get in trouble at the weekend. 13 years done 11 to go!