So what do you do for a living?

[Lynda J]

72-77 First Grade Teacher.

77-present. Mechanic Auto repair shop owner. And yes I turn wrenches and bust knuckles. Have the grease stains under my fingernails to prove it.

 

[ronvo]

I am a Support Services Manager for a Scale & Weighing Systems Manufacturer

 

(Support Services being the repair dept, reprgraphics, technical documentation, & trade shows)

 

rv

[Fishsqueezer]

I've been a fisheries biologist for TX Parks & Wildlife for 20 years - living the outdoor dream - except when I'm typing reports, answering the phone, giving presentations, attending meetings, entering and analyzing data.....

 

 

[moxieman]

Life! Breath life into this old thread and make it live again!

 

I have two degrees in Meteorology, but am a victim of politics. I finished my master degree just as Contract on America took effect, slashing the National Weather Service Budget in half and flooding the private sector with highly skilled meteorologists. The result, "entry level" in my field requires 2 years of work-related experience. (blink, blink) I was even rejected (1996) by the military with a generic form letter stating they were inundated with meteorologists and didn't need any more.

 

Alas, the bank doesn't like that excuse and unlike a car or house loan, they aren't willing to repossess your degrees, so I have done what I can over the past eleven years. Most 'regular jobs' at that time wanted nothing to do with me as I was "over qualified" with my master degree. So I did stuff on my own and eventually got hired by a temp agency (they're not so fussy about how much education you have had. Some of the past jobs I have held through the temp agency and/or on my own have included:

 

Band roadie (for brother's band)

Breadman helper (long days: 2am to about 4pm--this is a rural state with LONG bread routes that can be upto 200 miles each way-I was once placed on the "bun route", a 15 hour (if you speed) route that delivered Burger King buns from the distribution warehouse 20 miles north of Disgusta all the way up to Caribou, then down along the eastern border of the state to Calais and back to the warehouse, that was a really *LONG* day.)

Auction House Laborer

First Time Homebuyer helpline (got a two day crash course on how to buy a house and then immediately put on the helpline as the first contact person--"fun")

Legal secretary (except the lawyer in question was not use to having the help of a secretary, so it amounted to a lot of reading and occasionally mailing a letter)

Truck rental company parts man--was hired to clean-up their parts store room and rearrange the parts in some logical way involving UPC coding.

Rake lawns/wash windows/other odd jobs, whatever I could find to make that next student loan payment

 

After two or three years of that sort of stuff, I finally landed my current job. I now work for the University of Southern Maine's Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service in their satellite office in the state capital of Disgusta.

 

I can't easily describe what I do for a living. The department ("Project") I work in has contracts with the state's Dept. of Health & Human Service's Mental Health/Mental Retardation divisions. My official title is "Project Assistant".

 

Some of the things I handle:

 

*--Logistics for Continuing Education courses for the state's MH/MR and private agency MH/MR workers--these can be trainings for as few as 20 people or 2-day long conferences for 600 people with multiple concurrent workshops (my personal record was 8 concurrent sessions at once and a total of 48 different workshops over two days). Logistics covers everything "behind the scenes" short of actually teaching the course: find the facility to hold the training at. Advertise the training and register people for it. Give directions to trainer (and possibly ferry thme to/from the airport). On day of training, make sure room/AV is set-up properly. Coffee and food are delivered/set-up when they are suppose to be. Great attendees upon their arrival. Troubleshoot as necessary--it's amazing how many professionals who have taught this stuff for years still can't figure out their own PowerPoint presentation. Collect evaluations and hand-out attendance/CEU (continuing education units/credits) certificates. Pay all bills involved. Need to hold a training somewhere in Maine? Tell me your budget and what part of the state you're looking at and I can tell you where to try and where to avoid and also whether or not the facility is ADA compliant. (chuckle)

 

*--Front line "go to" person for the state's mental health worker certification programs including explaining the process to new applicants, screening applications, data entry in database, maintaining all certification files (over 17,000 records at the moment), fielding phone calls, etc.

 

*--"Other duties as assigned"--Audio-visual tech when there isn't money in the budget to hire one for some trainings. Find and obtain 2nd hand office furniture when needed (and usually new isn't in the budget). Courier--sometimes, there's stuff that needs to be delivered like an hour ago to the state or a print shop and it can't wait for the following day's mail. Maintain Project's website: http://www.cfl-muskie.org Many other things I'm probably forgetting at the moment.

 

It's a job. It pays the bills (barely). However, it's not what I trained to be. (shrug)

 

The last of my student loans should be paid off sometime next spring. Probably just in time for the "Stealth Lemon" to die and I'll have to get a car loan. (chuckle)

[SSScout]

My title is "Transit Coordinator". I work for the local transit(bus) service and for lack of a better description, I'm sort of a "street supervisor". My office is a Jeep Cherokee. I oversee route drivers, investigate accidents, ameliorate pasenger-driver conflicts, play "what if" with our operation for the higher-ups.

 

Scoutwise, I'm a ASM and District Camp Chair and Cub Scout Day Camp gofer.

 

YiS still...

[local1400]

Is there a little more thread left on this spool? Its been read over 6000 times! I am a Union Proud freight train conductor and President of my unions local. Both of which leave me little time for Scouting which I have been away from for 17 years. In the past: Scout camp staff, convenience store clerk, package courier, and beer/wine truck route driver.

[oldsm]

The job that pays the bills: network admin for well-known copier/printer company (32 years). Previous positions in the firm included sales, service, remanufacturing management, technical writing/editing (15 years), and marketing.

 

The 2nd job: organist and director of music at a church (21 years).

 

The 3rd job: SM of a local troop of enthusiastic boys. Previously CM of one of the feeder packs. Oldest son just made Eagle last week, 2nd son is looking for his ESLSP.

 

Previous job: supervisor of merchandise processing at a department store chain warehouse (back in the dark ages).

 

Before that: greeting card sales, newspaper route (on foot).

 

Most unusual previous job: organist at a maximum security penitentiary for 2 years during college. (No, I was NOT an inmate.)(This message has been edited by oldsm)

[packsaddle]

I had forgotten about this thread but I guess I need to update. Oldsm, I have to tell you fella, that unusual job you had playing the organ in prison is one of the most intriguing jobs I've heard of. Did you play there long enought to write a book about it?

Local 1400, all my life I have envied you guys who work with railroads. Great job!

 

As for me, I changed careers recently. I took a long camping trip with my daughter (long story) in 2005 and when I requested 6 weeks of annual leave from my supervisor, red flags went up all over the place. I had been a research biologist with the Engineer Research and Developemnt Center (US Army) but I needed to take this time with my daughter. I told my supervisor that if they granted my request I would take the trip and if they didn't grant my request I would still take the trip. About half-way through the trip, I got a call from a university with an offer for a faculty position. I didn't hesitate.

 

Leaving federal service was WONDERFUL! And, after two years on the faculty, I can confirm most of the things we have all wondered about university faculty...we have it pretty good. Once I have my web page ready, I will reveal my identity to the forums and send everyone the link.

Good jobs to everyone!

[epalmer84]

Currently, I am a senior tech support specialist for a printer manufacturer here in Virgina. I work mostly via phone and e-mail, but I go on-site for major issues. The job has taken me all over the US, Canada, the UK and Denmark.

 

Previously.... dog handler, nuclear missile technician, radio technician, Bradley infantry commander, warehouse manager, blacktop paver and yarn analyzer technician.

 

Ed

[rangercmr]

I've held a few different positions over the past 30 years;from draftsman to water treatment system operator;to my present career as scout ranger/site manager in the north eastern U.S.And without a doubt the past ten years in scouting have been the best of those 30.My children both grew up in scouting,and my son still helps here at camp when he can.God Bless.

 

 

[Gonzo1]

1982-1998------ U. S. Navy and Navy Reserve, helicopter aircrewman performing anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, operations management, weapons and tactics employment and personnel management.

1998 to 2006--- U. S Army Reserve, Medical Service Corps officer, Executive Officer in a 500 bed hospital surgical unit, Aide to a Brigadier General and Medical Supply warehouse manager.

2000 to present ---- Chiropractor.

[oldman]

English Professor at a small religious university. Though I teach a linguistics course and acouple of medieval courses, my bread and butter is English composition and Ancient World Lit. Washing dishes at Walgreens, cutting virginia creeper and poison ivy for my high school chemistry teacher, and preaching to a country church of twelve people certainly had nothing to do with earning a living. Like my father before me, I advanced to first class ( he in the 30s, I in the 50s--after five years of hard work). My older son dropped out after Weblos; my younger went from Tiger to second class, dropped out, came back and made Eagle. After serving on the pack committee and then as ASM, I became SM several years ago when our then SM moved away and the other scouters didn't want the job and promised to help me. They kept their word.

[kahits]

Architect by education [bArch Univ. of Nebraska/Architectural Association London, Eng.)& March Univ. of Oregon)] and 20 years experience, but with a wife who loves her very demanding work (OB/Gyn), and a 12 year old son who started scouting as a Tiger (currently 2nd Class scout) and a 14 year old daughter who developed a love for scouting watching her little brother, I have taken an indefinite sabbatical to do some things. My daughter is the current President of her Venture crew, and is the primary recruiter of the girls in the crew. I still do design work (we do school design as our specialty), but am focused on these two units, as long as my kids are on fire for them.

 

I started as my sons Tiger DL, and at the end of that year, the pack leadership decided to pull their boys out of that school, and offered for anyone who wanted, to take it over. We had like 1 weeks notice just before school ended for the summer. I was encouraged to try and keep the pack from going under at summer camp (DE doing his job), and decided, with the help of the other parents, to give it a shot. I continued to be his DL, as well as taking on the CM position. By the end of the 5th year, I was also doing most of the CC's work, by no choice of my own. When it came time for his crossover, my DE suggested that I look at a local troop that was about to fold, because of a lack of young boys and new adult leaders. We decided to give it a shot, and almost a year later, I am the SM of a 69 year old troop (Jan 1938). My daughter finished 8th grade last spring, and I started a crew for her, and 2 girls she recruited, along with 3-4 older scouts from the troop that shares the same number (not my troop). I am the crew advisor for at least the first 2 years, but am primarily committed to the my son's troop. The crew has 2, young, assoc. female advisors, and 2 assoc. male advisors, all with a lot of scouting experience, so they are set in that respect. At this point, even with the challenges that continue to come up, I have no regrets. 5 more years with my son, and most likely 3 1/2 with my daughter, will be all that I have left, and it is my hope to make the most of it with them.

[Southpaw]

I have milked cows, cooked and waited at a restaurant, worked 5 summers at a scout camp, worked in wilderness therapy, and served in the army. Now, I work part-time at a ropes/challenge course and go to college full time (studying Outdoor Recreation Management).

 

As far as scouts go, I have been the Varsity Coach, Assistant Scoutmaster, and now a Cub Den Leader.

 

[smincz]

Wow, this has been one interesting ride DSTEELE started! If anyone knows where he ended up, or ever hears from him, offer him Regards and Congrats on behalf of all of us

 

Looked like the train had slowed down enough, so I thought I would jump on and give it a shot... How about 20 active years in the Big Green Machine, the last 16 of which as a Rotor-head in Jet Rangers, Hueys, and Blackhawks. After hanging up the BDUs, the last eight have allowed me to split my time between staying close to home, semi-retired, and trying my best at being a Scoutmaster (2 years), while the other half of the month is dedicated to Mercenary Management in the War on Drugs in the jungles and Andean foothills of South America. Lifes a hoot; never dull... My wife (and ASM, God bless her) is a Stay-at-home-Mom. Now thats one scary job that I truly respect!

 

Love you guys... drive on!

 

MH