hey guys. just figured i'd see what everyones career was in here. im in the middle of my senior year of high school and trying to figure out what i wanna do. its hard

 

well im a mechanic, i pretty much just followed my dads foot steps and i now work at a welding/repair shop that my dad owns.

 

The screen name sorta gives my carreer away

 

Mechanical Engineer designing machinery...........when I do chose to work.

 

agman,
I have done an awful lot. I worked my way through high school in the early 60's (yeh! I'm older than your father!) working as a grease monkey doing lube jobs, and tires, and minor brake work in a full service gas station. And I learned everything the mechanic could teach me. Then I worked in a machine shop mass producing parts for the auto industry. I learned about metal and welding and that I didn't want to do this type of work all my life. So Iwent to college and paid my own way using the skills I had learned - working in gas stations and garages and in the summer in a machine shop.

I became a teacher and taught young people how to machine and weld and repair cars (I was a shop teacher!) During the summers, another teacher and I built houses and learned some more. Later I got a master's degree and went to work for our state government in education, designing and testing new vocational curriculum. I retired 2 years ago and now work part-time at a college as a career counselor.

Yeh, I did a lot of different things but most importantly I never stopped learning and the most valuable lessons I learned from people in the trades - college got me a good paying job, but the trades people gave me skills to make my life fuffilling. And now I am learning from all the knowledgable people here at FTE! Never stop learning no matter what you do!!

 

I have been an electronics technician for the last 35 years. I currently work with 1960's vacuum tube gear. I like to stay on the trailing edge of technology.

 

fork lift operator at a small cedar mill in northern maine.we make fence posts, tongue and grove paneling, cedar decking, cabin stock .been there since 81.work with 5 other guys. we all have a lot of the same interests.sometimes that makes the job more enjoyable.we fish and hunt together that kinda thing.good luck with your career choice

 

part time Firerfighter/EMT looking to go full time very soon. still in school.

 

For a bit more reading you can see what other's have done.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...B%25252Bliving

 

I work in a steel mill.

 

Retired U.S. Navy, retired civil service GS-11 mechanical engineering technician, now, working part time for a pneumatic/digital HVAC controls contractor troubleshooting and making repairs.

 

Agman you need to decide on something you like to do, plus decide to what level you want to get into it. I was always interested in engineering-type stuff but was couldn't put up with the brain-strain of getting an engineering degree. So. I ended up as a techinician at a city engineering department doing CAD drawings, survey, and other miscelaneous tasks that the engineers can't or don't want to do. I like it and I'm very glad to be there!

Great that you're thinking ahead. I hope you're also allocating some time for FUN during your senior year

 

Retired Deputy Sheriff /Now selling Fords

 

Hey agman,

I'm 49, but I feel your pain. Making a career choice is hard.

I started in 1973 as a "draftsman". Sounds funny I know, but that was before computers. Well by 1978 I could see that computers were going to make that job obsolete, and I wasn't interested in multi-ton 70's style computers. Didn't like being in an office anyway. Got a job in a factory that custom built packaging machinery, but wasn't interested enough to stay there for more than a couple years, learned VALUABLE basics about different types of steel, and bolt sizes/ threads per inch and all that. Then did auto body work for 10 years. Rear drive, full frame vehicles gave way to front drive, unibody vehicles - (couldn't afford new equipment) paint prices multiplied by about 10 during that time period. My customers couldn't afford that and I was starving to death. (wasn't a natural businessman) So scratch that. Got a job as a school bus mechanic. That was great untill the CDL requirment caused a shortage of substitute drivers, and substitute driving became my forced, principle duty, and couldn't handle the screaming kids. Another scratch. Got a low paying job driving a tandem dump truck. Liked it but not enough money. So I took note of how that business worked, and in two years was able to buy my own tri - axle dump truck, and I'm FINALLY where I want to be. Most of what I've done in the past gave me experience in different things to be able to do this really well.

My suggestion would be to first determine what type of setting you want to work in. (office, or outside) and if you're a people person (leader) or a follower / enjoy working by yourself. Of course the more schooling you get and money you make the better off you're going to be. But I'd recommend staying flexible - not getting locked in to something that you can't bail out of if it turns into something that you don't like. We do live in a changing world. As I was starting out as a draftsman, there were others my age starting out as bricklayers. Almost nothing's changed in that profession! You just can't predict the future! You can't plan out your whole life as a teenager though! Pick something and go for it - GOOD LUCK!!

marc

 

hehe dont worry too much about that

i know i cant plan my life out, but it would make me feel better if i knew what i was working toward in college. that way i dont take pointless classes! cuz trust me i hate school, but maybe college will actually be interesting!

anyways, im kind of torn between my interests. im real big into agriculture but unlike the rest of my family i doubt i'll farm. im thinking seriously about law enforcement.

i like my guns