What? Who? Why?

[brokencross]

When you watch TV programmes such as "The Weakest Link" the contestant gives a quick biography in which they give their job title, (many of which I have never heard of and are rather strange, and sometimes enhanced to make them seem more important).

This made me wonder about Orgers and their choice of career paths, so my question is, what or who inspired you in your career choice and has it proved as good as expected?

I'll start it off. In my case I didn't really have a clue what I wanted to do until 1967/8 when I went to Thurso High School; in the 3rd year I started taking Navigation as a subject. I always had an interest in all things nautical so really enjoyed the classes. The teacher was a Captain Manson; besides teaching us navigation, he used to tell us all sorts of stories of his life and "adventures" in the Merchant Navy and that was me hooked, a life on the ocean wave it was to be! (Got the Navigation "O" level by the way)

Left school in June 1969, joined the Merchant Navy and sailed on my first ship in December 1969 as a deck apprentice, progressed through the ranks and thoroughly enjoyed the life.

p.s. Pure coincidence, in 1985 I took that first ship to scrap in Spain, quite a sad event, believe it or not you come very attached to ships when they have been your "home" for a few months.

[henry20]

Another great thread, IMO and hopefully one that will be very interesting. I've not got such a great story to tell, but here goes:

Struggling to find enthusiasm in my 5th year, I only gained 1 higher. 6th year didn't go much better, so I left in December and took a job to tide me over until summer when I could enrol in child care at college. 10 years on and I'm still working there. :lol: A weekly wage was too appealing and I never did study childcare. I'm happy where I am though.

I have studied at college since though, but only on an evening class basis. I even achieved my higher english last year - after 10 years away from school, it was hard going and at almost £300 I wished I'd stuck in more at school.

At the moment I'm happy with combining 2 jobs with part time studying - although its a struggle to find dedication to the open learning courses.

[newpark]

I wish I could say I followed my dreams but I never I was too lazy to be totally honest. I hated school and the whole time there I just wanted to leave and be a nanny or nursery school teacher, then I wanted to be a air hostess and neither happened due to me having no ambition to go back to college to qualify so I ended up in admin a very very boring job.

[Victoria]

I did really rubbish at school - I just wasn't interested. I left at 15 and never did any of my GCSE's.

I decided to go back a year later to 6th form and I did my English GCSE (which I got a B in) and I also took GNVQ Media Studies which I never finished!!

At this time I got a part time job in Superdrug behind the purfume counter(very exciting!).

My first proper job was in a local Estate Agents before I decided that I wanted to go and work in London. I managed to land myself a fantastic job in an Advertising Agency (totally fluked it!). I was there for about 4 years before I started to get sick of the high life and wanted to get a job closer to home again so I went back to work in another local Estate Agents.

After all this time I still didn't know what I 'wanted to do with my life' but I now knew it wasn't estate agency work! so I applied for the job I am in now which is a Marketing Assistant with a company called Atkins.

I am enjoying it and its ok but its not what I want to do.

Just after I started this job I decided that horticulture and the environment is what I am interested in and where I want to be so for the last 2 years I have been studying at college (1 night a week) to gain my Royal Horticultural Society Level 2 - my last exam is this June!!!

After that I plan to start studying a conservation course with the open University and more to the highlands at some point along the line!

[Bobinovich]

I didn't know what I wanted to do so was nudged by family towards an apprenticeship. I took the usual tech drawing, metalwork, woodwork, physics, etc. classes at school and did OK. However I'd also been interested in computers since the heady days of the Sinclair Spectrum (early 80's).

After leaving at the end of 5th year I started my mechanical apprenticeship but halfway through my 3rd year realised I didn't want to be doing this for the rest of my life (and as many will tell you I was a useless fitter anyway [lol]). The training department suggested I finish my apprenticeship and asked me what I'd like to do afterwards to which I replied 'something with computers'.

So, shortly after I finished, I found myself working with the mechanical engineers doing computer/database work which I took to straight away. After 5 years, when the job I was doing came to it's natural end, I took voluntary redundancy and got unconditional acceptance to Robert Gordons Uni to do IT.

During the waiting period word spread as to my 'hobby' working with PC's and doing graphic design & printing and, with PC's just taking off, I started being asked to help people and businesses sort out their computer problems and print leaflets, business stationery, etc. Having always fancied being my own boss I just took the easy (or so I thought at the time) path and set myself up in business.

13 years on things are still going strength to strength and being self-employed is the still best thing since sliced bread!!

[Angela]

I've spent most of my life so far "in books"...librarian, editor, bookseller....with time out as a full-time mum-of-three....and a diversion into accounting for a few years....books are an addiction however.:roll:

I've been both employed and self-employed/freelance. Much prefer working for myself, despite the lack of a monthly pay cheque.;)

[Elenna]

I always loved going to school...growing up, my home situation wasn't very good, and I always did enjoy learning new things :)...so I had top marks and had no trouble getting in to Uni. I had a lot of interest in sciences, languages, and history, but my main focus and ability has always seemed to be in English, literature, and writing, so after some adventures, and a few misadventures, I ended up with a BFA cum laude in Theatre.

After graduating, I worked for a year at various jobs, did some auditions and amateur theatre stuff, was working in a local planetarium doing shows and lectures for school classes (among other things) and planning to go back for a MA in Directing/Playwriting, when I was introduced to this dashing young Scottish fella who was on holiday and staying with some people I knew.... :D

We got married, and life made a big shift...I spent the next 17 years being a mum and raising a family, though I did temporary jobs along the way and also took evening courses that I found of interest. Then another change of circumstances saw us moving to Wick and taking over the B&B which we run now. That wasn't so much my dream as my husbands, but it is flexible enough to allow me to work and look after the family, too, and meeting all sorts of people is interesting, and there are a lot worse things I could be doing!

And Caithness is stunningly beautiful, and the people are great! So, whatever the future might hold, and whatever we might be doing, we are hoping here will always remain home now.

[Solus]

Almost 20 years in a uniformed service.... first 15 years were great, then.... well lets just say civvie street beckoned.... caithness pulls and pulls....so time to come home and enjoy the rest of my years without the stress and worry that went with my job ! that soon became a way of life rather than a job !