what do you do for a crust?

[jaybee]

Life Style Worker, i work with ppl with intellectual, psychiatric and multiple disabilities, basically it is teaching the clients every day basic living skills we take for granted, so i get to take clients fishing, to the movies and generally socializing, not forgetting the housework. The hours arent too good, lot of weekend, public holidays, and the pay isnt too crash hot either, but i love the job and the ppl i work with are great.
cheers
Joe

[stark]

Had my own company for the last 20 years. Don't make a lot of money, but with the kids gone and having their own families, I can keep working until I drop if I want to and can also take a day off if I want to fish.

Job satisfaction and the ability to control your own future are more important as you get older than making a lot of dosh. Being careful with your coin and planing for the furture will lead you to a reasonable position by the time you hit you 'fitifies' and you then see that is where life begins.

Cheers
John

[LYNDO]

Motor Mechanic by trade, then got sick of it after a few years (handy knowledge for yourself but), turned to plastering, then commerical operator for spraying weeds, basal barking etc and completion of a horticulture certifcate.
And for the last 10 years Security Officer/Crowd Crontroller.
Cheers Lyndo

[bugman]

Through school I wanted to do marine studies or Parks and Wildlife. I wanted to be outside and enjoy the environment in which I work.

I was even accepted to Uni to do a Bachelor of Applied Science Marine Studies course. I took a year before starting and decided to persue my other passion of sport. Changed to a journalism degree to become a sports journo.

Within 12 months of graduating, landed my dream job of working for a major organisation in a capital city doing radio and tv. My job entailed getting paid to watch sport and hang out with sporting identities like playing golf, drinking and partying etc.

It took only 3 years before I realised that I was living a life I didn't enjoy. I was hardly home at night, I was drinking way to much, I was talking to the same neandathals every week about the same rubbish and I was feeling very bored. I looked around and saw a lot of my colleagues in other organisations were mid 40's doing the same thing - a lot without a penny to bless themselves - most with broken marriages. I also hated the fickle nature of those involved. If you were important people hung off you but as soon as your career waned or you were dropped from the team the packed moved on to the next young and exciting player to socialise with. It also killed my passion for sport. I don't even attend live games anymore. I stopped enjoying it totally.

I'm getting away from the subject but I guess what I'm trying to say is that making a living out of something that is your passion can sometimes have a down side.

I'm still in the media industry having performed lots of other rolls since. My new title is Executive Producer of External and Emerging Platforms ABC New Media - which translates to neither I nor the ABC knows what I do.

Marine Biology still niggles at the back of my mind and won't go away.

Bugman

[bidkev]

Held about 30 jobs since coming out of the forces, including pub management, life guard, security, milko. Never really settled in anything (I'd been in the forces since age 15) until the last job which was film planning in the print industry and then I get made redundant! :-)

Always had a passion for photography so turned pro for a while until the missus and I had a long talk.

She was born here and always wanted to return. We also discussed not having "latch-key" kids so it (she;-) decided that as she earned more than me, I would stay at home and look after our two boys, one of whom is autistic.

I'd always worked with kids on a part-time basis (Cadet Forces, D of E awards and Mountain Leadership) so we also decided to foster here. I now care for 5 kids full-time and luckily, they *all* love fishing/camping. I miss having someone to talk to occasionaly, but apart from that, I'm happy........and that's the key......... to get back to what you're asking.

Make sure that you're happy in what you do. If someone is a "caring" person, and young, then I always recommend that they find a profession that deals in caring and nurturing such as Joe (jaybee) does, or nursing, or Youth Worker.

If you're good at "something" and like doing it, ask yourself how you can adapt that to an employment situation. The oldest foster kid is good with his hands and "arty" but had little education before coming to me. I now home-school him and have got him day release at a blacksmiths. He loves shaping all that wrought iron work and it doesn't tap into his lack of education. He's "laid-back" and that suits him. OTOH, you may be the kind that likes a challenge and to be "taxed".

Write down all your pros and cons, and likes and dislikes, what you *think* you would like to do, what you *don't* like and what your limitations are. If you have no "restrictions" such as a wife and kids, then *your* considerations, are all that matters and you should be able to see where you can and can not go in your career path.

Good luck

kev

[dazza]

good thread jeffo.
i am a registered nurse. i work in an emergency department. it is a great job. get alot of variety, from common coughs, colds and sore holes to major trauma etc. you don't know what is comming through the door from one minute to the other.
it is a pretty full on job, can get fairly intense at times.
i work shift work which has it's good and bad points.
work for queensland health. fairly good pay, good leave entitlements and super etc.
once you are qualified, the sky is the limit. there are so many different fields you can work in.
my career ensures i will never be unemployed (world wide shortage of nurses).
i have lived and worked in the gulf of carpenatia, the outer islands of the torres strait and on cape york- (not bad fishing spots )
whatever you choose- you will get out of it what you put in.
cheers
dazza

[firetruck]

Good thread Jeffo.

I do health research and currnetly work in the area of Indigenous Health.

I've been fortunate to travel to some really out of the way places that a lot of people would never really get to and meet some great people (all over Torres Strait, Cape York and heaps of other places in rural and remote Qld). To state the obvious it is a challenging area but it sure puts things into perspective.

In saying this i am yet to find a job that i really enjoy and look forward to each and every day. But does anyone? I would like to get into something to do with fishing/ seafood industry but just don't know what and where to start. One day.

[DR]

i am a signwriter(dinosaur) was a great trade, you could do what a lot of people do, spend $10,000, buy an entry level comp. & plotter, set up in your lounge room, work really cheap, have absolutely no idea what is required in a good sign, call yourself a signwriter? & generally make life difficult for the genuine tradesmen for a few years before you realise you can't really make living doing this as there is too many people doing what you did
oh, almost forgot, go & do a 6 week part time graphic course & think you have learned what has taken most many years

[Brissyguy]

Jeffo,

I did an electrical apprenticeship and a few Management courses.
Commenced Batchelor of Business but the job hours saw this disolve.

Am now Business Development Manager of a large Electric Motor overhaul shop.
Love the job although the travel aspect is a little hard sometimes.
Currently grooming guys to work in our field maintenance crew, mostly Bowen Basin Mine work on draglines etc.

Get yaself a trade mate, at least it is something to fall back on and is usually a good grounding for the future.
Adult apprenticeships these days pay well and can be shortened with RPL's and onjob experience.
PM me if your interested in something like this...

Cheers,
Rich.

[Billo]

Business Analyst mate .
Tough job , and can get very painfull , starting to get sick and tired of the sight of a computer screen nowdays .

If i could do anything , i would go back a few years and do the marine Biology course i was looking at doing .....keep me close to the water
May even do it over the next few years

[stack]

Hi Jeffo
I`m a screenprinter by trade but haven`t worked in the industry for 10years currently work for Qantas at Bris airport puttin the piss on the planes.Great job,shift work rotating shifts so I get heaps of days off during the week to fish when the crowds go back to Bris to work and I can take my boat up Maroochy river hunting whatever they don`t find and as you know thats a bloody lot.The other great thing bout my job is really cheap airfares so a trip up north every so often is a must and I can spend what I save on accom and the gear I need to do the job.
Best of luck in your search for the perfect job
Stack

[Mundi]

Wow good thread and a broad range of careers covered.
I'm an air traffic controller. I've been doing it for 20+ years and will prolly keep at it for another 10 or so. As far as recommending it for a career well....
for the first 10 years I would have highly recommended it but times change and conditions are no longer the same. The pay is good but don't choose a career just to chase the holy dollar. Look for something that challenges you in a field that you enjoy. These days be prepared to travel to chase what you want.
Good Luck finding your future

[BlitzBaga]

G'day Jeffo

I spent 20yrs as a fitter and turner, I loved the job and I am good with my hands but my back couldn't handle it anymore, if there wasn't so much heavy work where I was I'd still be a fitter now. I ended up doing a diploma in technology management and landed a position with the same company as a production manager (I come home as clean as when I leave to go to work). Now I wouldn't go back to the tools for double the money. I am still handy with my hands and satisfy that area by making lures which I have also done on the side for the last 16yrs now.

Cheers
Murray

[agnes_jack]

Jeffo
Did a heap of different jobs in my younger days, including paving and landscaping. For most of my past I was a plasterer and carpenter. Cannot recomend the plastering, although it pays well when you work for yourself. As most blokes do in the building industry, I ended up with a stuffed back. Have been running the tackle store for about 3.5 years now, and could not be happier.
I dont make a fortune (contrary to popular belief) but I spend most days talking, walking, and sleeping fishing! Its a lifestyle I love and I still manage to get out and catch a few when the weather permits.
Whatever you do make it something you enjoy life is very, very short.\

Regards, Tony

[Dr_Dan]

Professional UNI BUM!!!!! With the hopes of one day becoming rural Dr, but for now, have to settle to being a poor uni student!