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Unusual jobs

(69 Posts)
millymouge Mon 15-Oct-18 13:21:56

When I was young large stores had a system of putting customers cash after a purchase in a container that was attached to an overhead wire. A pulley sent this container to a glass office that you could see at the top of the store. A young lady put the necessary change in the container and returned it to the sale assistant. Oh for years I did so want to work there, I thought it was my dream job!!!!!!!

Jaycee5 Mon 15-Oct-18 13:06:08

My grandfather got a job as a magician's assistant after the war and travelled around Europe. He then became a long life civil servant and quit in his 50s when someone got promoted over him. He never talked about those early years but I suppose he got it out of his system. If you had met him in his later years, you would never imagine it as he was a small cantankerous man who rented out rooms in his house (Rigsby could have been based on him).

Jalima1108 Mon 15-Oct-18 13:03:06

If I knew then what I know now!!

Also the concept of a job for life is far less common now.
I agree, none of my DC are doing what they started out doing years ago.

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 12:55:43

I do think some things are better nowadays. Young people appear to be more aware of wider job opportunities even if competition is high. Also the concept of a job for life is far less common now. My nephew, under 30, has had 3 different jobs since uni: web design, cabin crew, facilities manager....

Willow10 Mon 15-Oct-18 12:48:33

The only options offered by the career officer when I left school was office, factory or shop! After a lifetime of various jobs (which have included all three) the only thing I would like to do now is spend time in tv's 'The Repair Shop', watching and learning some of their amazing skills. I wish I had learned something creative like they all have.

Rosina Mon 15-Oct-18 12:44:09

I did interesting but ordinary 'stuff' throughout my career, but now realise that, had circumstances been different, how I would have loved to be an engineer. I have always been fascinated by how things work, and stood in awe watching the wonderful steam locomotives of yesterday chuffing along at special events. The mechanics of everything are so interesting, and I read of Brunel, Bazalgette and the like and so wish I could have created an amazing and iconic work for the nation.

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 12:42:33

Oh a train driver on Southend Pier would be fun! I have a good friend who used to have a temporary job managing the boats on the boating lake in Southend! "Come in No.6 your time is up!"

petra Mon 15-Oct-18 12:21:54

After I finished working in my trade ( printing) I answered an advert for a driver wanted for the trains on Southend pier. Didn't get it sad
I would have loved doing that.

maddyone Mon 15-Oct-18 12:20:59

Ha ha PECS, my career teacher never offered me the chance to be a leech trainer either! I think we were disadvantaged for the rest of our lives to be deprived of such an opportunity ? .

When my firstborn was about three years old, upon being asked what he’d like to do when he grew up, he answered without hesitation ‘A robber’, I think we’d recently read Burglar Bill. After some discussion about how he might end up in prison if he followed such a career path, he revised his ambition to ‘A milkman’ It’s lucky he didn’t in fact choose that occupation as he may well have been redundant by now, milkmen, or women, are rather few in number now.

He did in fact choose a rather less exciting career path, he’s a Chartered Accountant!

jenni123 Mon 15-Oct-18 11:52:45

i remember wanting to be a bus conductress or a florist, i did neither, have done many jobs over the years, mainly office based, laterly before retiring I worked in NHS, admin side.

ninathenana Mon 15-Oct-18 11:39:19

My dad was a "sagger" for many years. He made them for Doultons, not tableware but the less glamorous work of bathroom fittings, toilets, baths etc.

I would love to have qualified as a veterinary nurse but not having pets when young I wasn't aware such a career existed. I did however, from the age of 24 spend 10 yrs as a vet's assistant which to all intents and perposes was the same job.

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 11:07:37

www.thepotteries.org/bottle_kiln/saggar.htm alie

PamelaJ1 Mon 15-Oct-18 10:18:24

Nurse, teacher or secretary - they were my options.
I became a beauty therapist! How did I ever think that sorting out feet , and squeezing blackheads would be glamorous ?
My niece went to circus school. It was what she really wanted to do after all her gym classes and visits to cirque de soleil.
She was always a clever girl though and ended up at Cambridge. If her a level results hadn’t been so good she’d be swinging on a trapeze somewhere in the world.Funny how life turns out.
So many choices these days.

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 10:07:19

Eglantine those were my options too...

AlieOxon Mon 15-Oct-18 09:30:39

Are there still saggar makers' bottom knockers?

Eglantine21 Mon 15-Oct-18 08:41:31

I know. I saw Vole Conservation Officer advertised in a national newspaper not long ago.

And I was riveted by the man who makes armour on a programme about Richard the third. He was a young man. Imagine how his career interview went.

Me, I got offered nursing or teaching.......

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 08:40:59

Larissa there are a few circus skills schools around! It's never too late to learn ?

Larissa67 Mon 15-Oct-18 08:39:21

Since my first vist to the circus as a child, I've had a secret desire to be a trapeze artist. Life had other plans, but now I've retired, who knows? If only I could lose two stone and thirty years!

PECS Mon 15-Oct-18 08:22:33

Well my career teacher never offered me the opportunity to be a leech trainer! Just read an interesting article in today's paper about leeches..and how they are trained!
So many different jobs and lifestyles nowadays! My "career path" has been very ordinary & whilst I enjoyed it maybe training leeches would have been really intersting! What job would you like to try?