What Line Of Work Are You In

[Muskox]

I was in the military for 20, have almost 10 more as a government scientist/engineer.

Went to college to be a wildlife biologist, but I have never actually done that.

 

[Arkansas_Traveler]

Let's see.... the short answer is I am a full time stock trader / investor (mostly short to mid-term swing trades with some longer term fundamental / speculative investments mixed in - and no, I don't give stock recommendations).
Long answer is it's been a winding journey to get where I am currently.
Grew up on a small cattle farm in rural northeastern Arkansas, went to college on a combined baseball & academic scholarship, blew said scholarship by a combination of a career ending injury (rotator cuff) and too much partying, and after dropping out and getting married eventually returned to school and worked my way through college by working for the maintenance department of my chosen school (Ouachita Baptist University).
From college, went into full-time church ministry and concurrently earned my MA in counseling from seminary.
Served as a full-time Pastor off and on for a total of approximately ten years cumulatively (over an approximately 13 year span of time), but no longer do that (for various reasons), although I am fairly involved at the current time in our local congregation (teaching class, etc).

In between churches and after I left vocational ministry, I have worked as an Environmental / Quality Control Manager and an Operations Manager in wood pellet plants in Mississippi, worked as a processing / plant design and startup consultant in the wood pellet industry, owned and later sold a residential remodeling contracting company in Missouri, and along the line completed about half of a Doctoral degree from Seminary (still not sure why I decided to pursue that).

It's been an interesting life and I've left out a lot of little in-between things, but I'm FINALLY - after a long and winding journey - doing exactly what I always truly wanted to do for a living. I only wish I had done it twenty years ago.

Side note - it's been interesting reading through this thread and seeing what everyone does / has done, and even seeing it change over time for a few people who have checked back in across the 11 years this thread has been running.

 

[Rare Breed]

Hey guys and girls

Lets start this thread, telling people where you work and what you do, so that if any of our fellow AH members need something, we can suport each outher

F.L.A.S.H

VP Category Management and Retail Strategy

 

[Tundra Tiger]

Education. My degree is in Elementary Education; I've taught everything from Kindergarten through 6th grade. I was a classroom teacher for 17 years. In 2007 I got a job as the education and outreach guy for Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (4th largest in the system). This year I was selected as the new Visitor Services Manager.

 

[Neil Molendyk]

Started in the electrical utility industry in 74, construction, maintenance and the last 34 years in dispatch. Started taking over the family farm as well in 1980, now up to 2000 acres in grain and cattle ranching.Retired in 2019 from the utility dispatch. Repurposed to my real passion 100% , cattle ranching ever since. After burning the candle at both ends, some days now there's a shortage of candle.

 

[BTB Joe]

I am a senior (read that as “old”) mining engineer for an underground coal mining company in Pennsylvania. We mine metallurgical coal used for steelmaking in blast furnaces. Seam heights range between 36 and 54” so I have no trouble when the PH signals to stay down or crawl during a stalk, lol. In the thorns though, I find myself wishing I had my kneepads...

 

[Red Leg]

Twenty-nine years active duty in the US Army. After retirement, joined Northrop Grumman and ran an Army focused business unit (primarily developing command and control systems) as an appointed vice president for a decade (really fun job - and for you Army and Middle East alums, my folks built FBCB2/Blue Force Tracking and C-RAM among a number of other programs). That decade was every bit as fun, consequential, and rewarding as anything I did in uniform. I am now retired and hire myself out to myself to look after our little place in Texas - none of which disturbs my sleep at night. My lovely bride and I love to travel and are looking forward to getting back to doing just that.

 

[meigsbucks]

When in college, I worked at a beverage store. After college, thru connections I had at the beverage store, got a job at 7UP bottling. I planned on being there about six months. I worked my way up thru the ranks and became the shipping and warehouse manager. After divorcing my first wife in ‘93, I set two goals: go to Africa at age 55 and retire before I was 60. Both came to fruition. I retired after 38 yrs.
My lovely wife and I love to travel. She doesn’t hunt but accompanied me to Zimbabwe in ‘13. We can’t wait for this COVID mess to end so we can begin traveling again.

 

[WAB]

Grew up on a farm in Canada but didn’t inherit land, so I got a degree in Chemical Engineering. About half of my career was in oil refining, the other half in Ag Chemicals. Worked through technical, operations and ultimately senior exec roles. I’ve retired three times. The third time, at 59, seems to be sticking. Our farm in Bama keeps me too busy to do much else!

 

[Speedster]

Worked at a wastewater treatment plant for 16 years. Went back to school and got a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. Worked in an IC wafer fab for 3 years and then 14 years as an audio test engineer for GM. For the past 9 years I have worked at Chrysler as a robot engineer here in Indiana.

 

[Firebird]

Full time firefighter/paramedic in salt lake county. When I’m not at a station I take care of my family at home and operate Firebird Taxidermy from my basement. I only do birds and have done it for over 30 years. I keep saying I’m trying to slow that down so I can do service projects or stay caught up on family and friend projects or maybe compete again. But work always seems to come first.

 

[tedthorn]

I write screenplay and music for the adult film industry.

 

[Tgood1]

Full time chiropractor and African/local trophy taxidermist 6 month's out of the year(winter and summer). I really can't complain.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Wow. I am impressed with all y'all. I'm just a housewife from Virginia. And now....I'm hungry.

@Christina Nyczepir
No such thing as just a housewife
You are an
Accountant, nurse, disputes resolution officer, food technician, laundry technician, no being offensive but sex ed counsellor and worker, food procurement officer. Do you get the picture there is no such thing as JUST a housewife. To top it off you are a mother, wife and a highly regarded under paid over worked person.
Bob.

 

[Red Leg]

Full time firefighter/paramedic in salt lake county. When I’m not at a station I take care of my family at home and operate Firebird Taxidermy from my basement. I only do birds and have done it for over 30 years. I keep saying I’m trying to slow that down so I can do service projects or stay caught up on family and friend projects or maybe compete again. But work always seems to come first. View attachment 397007View attachment 397008View attachment 397009View attachment 397011View attachment 397012

That flock of redheads should win best of show somewhere.

 

[bonehead]

raise cattle and timber and do a little orthopedic surgery in my free time

 

[Chukar]

I am currently functioning as a mini-molar mechanic.

Previous employment: seasonal farmworker, pizza technician, walking far with heavy things on my back combined with shooting stuff and blowing stuff up, construction laborer, gym attendant, labor and delivery surgical tech (people pulling people out of people!).

 

[TOBY458]

Project manager for a large HVAC company in Smyrna Ga. We design, build and repair commercial and industrial HVAC systems.

 

[Buffalo1]

Quality Control Specialist. My job is to ensure that I maximize my retirement day 24/7/365. I have fired myself a couple of times, but gave in and rehired myself.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Quality Control Specialist. My job is to ensure that I maximize my retirement day 24/7/365. I have fired myself a couple of times, but gave in and rehired myself.

@Buffalo1
Problem with being your own boss is when you ring in sick you don't answer the phone, don't give yourself enough holidays or pay rises and you are the biggest prick of a boss you have ever worked for.
I sacked myself completely and went to work for someone else. A lot less hassle. I was the biggest bastard I have ever worked for
Bob