Jobs, careers, vocation, occupation

[Simps]

Many different jobs in different areas for me.

Went straight from college into a Sports Journalist at a well known local paper, where I stayed for almost 8 years until I had the opportunity to go travelling - only reason I came back from that was Burnley got to the play off final (which I obviously had to come back for)

Then spent four years in an infant school doing a mixture of Admin and Teaching Assistant alongside SEND children, before being asked to become a Property Manager in the rental department at a local estate agents.

After leaving that during COVID, worked for 18 months for a milk delivery company but now I’m back in the rental sector as Lettings Manager for another local (but more countrywide) estate agents.

Basically spent all my life dealing with the public in one way or another.

[AmbleClaret]

Bullied into Science A levels at grammar school,was told to apply to Medical school to become a doctor. Last thing I wanted tbh,ended up doing Dentistry .
Didn't enjoy it, tried to quit but bullied into staying on by the Dean. Qualified after an extra year due to lack of enthusiasm . Straight into long established NHS practice in Padiham, bought it with a partner after 2 years.Stuck with NHS dentistry for the next 20 odd years until the ever increasing red tape and unworkable contract led me to sell up and retire early.
Ended up buying and selling cheap and cheerful cars with a mate who had a garage business until Covid, then moved away from Lancashire to Northumberland to do nothing other than walk my dog and enjoy the most beautiful part of England.
Best jobs I ever had- valeting cars as a teenager, bar work as a student and the cars.Worst job -dentist.

[Cirrus_Minor]

After an engineering apprenticeship in aerospace, I later completed a degree in maths and physics. Then worked, again in aerospace, in structural analysis of aircraft (design, repairs, manufacturing defects, in-service defects and R&D). Did this, including as manager, up to retirement.
Loved most of it, but not as much as retirement.

[FCBurnley]

Can’t compete with all the Uni and degree guys. Went to BGS and hated every minute. Left at 15. Worked with my Dad in a wholesale drapers on Dugdale St Started in warehouse then became a sales rep selling knickers etc. Hated it. Started a business buying and selling vintage football programmed with Tom Gill This gave me the opportunity of being Commercial Manager with a few northern football clubs. This led to me becoming Managing director at a print company owned by The Kilby Family. The main customers were football clubs. Eventually set up my own company based in Huddersfield selling bingo cards to newspapers throughout Europe. Sold the company in 1989 and retired (42) but continued to work as a marketing consultant to various National Newspapers. Lived in Isle of Man before moving back to Huddersfield in 1999 and eventually moved to Florida in 2008. Not been back since but watch every Clarets game if possible. Has a couple of divorces on the way and still have a daughter in Worsthorne and for a few years in 80’s was a director and then chairman of Huddersfield Town. Hardest job for sure

[Ampth7]

The details of my life are quite inconsequential... very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a fifteen year old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize, he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament. My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons. In the spring we'd make meat helmets. When I was insolent I was placed in a burlap bag and beaten with reeds- pretty standard really. At the age of twelve I received my first scribe. At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it.

Possibly the greatest film quote of all time? Certainly up there in my book anyway! Well played Lord Beamish!

[Hipper]

Worked since I was 16, was never interested in Uni. Just wanted a bit of money in my back pocket and a car.

Flirted with the RAF but they didn’t have movement in any of the trades I wanted. Passed all the exams, and waited 18 months without joy. The only thing which became available was avionics. So joined the Police instead.

But after 17 years, and for the first time ever in my Policing career, I’m done. Done with Policing, but done with the Met more specifically. They have no desire to change as an organisation, and I don’t feel like I can work for them anymore.

I don’t really have any idea where to go from here. I’ve got 2 kids so can’t afford too much of a paycut, if any. So if anyone has any ideas on what I can do and what might be out there, I’m all ears!

Depends what sort of police work you did. I guess that ex police are valued in some quarters like ex-forces people.

A brief thought. Air crash investigation requires knowledge of aircraft and detective work.....

[Foshiznik]

Wanted to be a police detective when i was at school but needed a degree and my A-level results meant that dream died as quickly as it was started. After working full time at Wickes and Tesco, i was fortunate enough to get a job in the Ministry of Defence and have been what Daily Mail readers might call a "pen pushing, golden handshake" civil servant ever since (19 years in), working in HR for MoJ, MoD, GCHQ and NOMS amongst others. Currently working in a job i love but only last week missed out on my bosses' job after interview, realising that a change might be needed in the next 6-12 months. Considering chasing my original dream via open university or something.

[bfcjg]

Worked since I was 16, was never interested in Uni. Just wanted a bit of money in my back pocket and a car.

Flirted with the RAF but they didn’t have movement in any of the trades I wanted. Passed all the exams, and waited 18 months without joy. The only thing which became available was avionics. So joined the Police instead.

But after 17 years, and for the first time ever in my Policing career, I’m done. Done with Policing, but done with the Met more specifically. They have no desire to change as an organisation, and I don’t feel like I can work for them anymore.

I don’t really have any idea where to go from here. I’ve got 2 kids so can’t afford too much of a paycut, if any. So if anyone has any ideas on what I can do and what might be out there, I’m all ears!

Shame the police is driving decent officers out, your post resonates with me as an ex officer friend said as much.
In my career I have seen a lot of ex officers work in soft facilities services management ; companies really valuing the individuals organisational,personal management,flexibility and problem solving skills. Good luck !

[ClaretTony]

Educated at Todmorden Road and Burnley Grammar School, leaving in 1970 at the age of 18. The next three years were spent reading mathematics at the University of Sheffield before moving into the big, wide world.

Having no idea what I really wanted to do, I got a summer holiday job meter reading for Norweb in Burnley before finally landing on my dream role within the flight test department at the then British Aircraft Corporation at Warton. It took very little time to realise that this was very definitely not my dream role, I was bored to tears, and after a few months I jumped at joining a recently created computer department within the same company on Strand Road in Preston.

It led to the best twenty years of my life as I moved up the ladder working as a software specialist on IBM mainframe computers. I loved the work I did, had some great bosses, had some good staff and made many good friends, some of whom I'm still in regular contact with (thus my occasional days out in Preston).

All good things come to an end. The department was merging with another and I knew it was time to move on although I was never as happy as I'd been at by then British Aerospace at Preston. I worked for ICI at Alderley Edge and Blackley, then to the Co-op (CWS) in Salford Quays and Manchester before my final company which was CSC at Euxton, next door to what was then Bolton's training ground and I think is now Preston's.

Unfortunately, ill health brought an end to my career when I was just 49. By the time I was well enough to try and return, the world I worked in had moved on so far and left me too far behind. Life at times has been a struggle since, and I started writing crap on football websites as something to do as much as anything else. The best part of that is that it's helped me forge some friendships and some of the people who post on this board have become my very best friends. Jimmy Wart (real name Mitchell), my old English teacher at BGS, would be astounded if he knew that I sat here writing most of the time. I was and still am best with numbers.

[CleggHall]

Tony - how wrong can you be? I always had you down as a schoolteacher in Preston. You have given little away over the years but write well for a mathematician!

[thehistorylecturer63]

I work with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at a well known university in the midlands and also do some work for an exam board on their A level syllabus.

[Pickles]

and for a few years in 80’s was a director and then chairman of Huddersfield Town. Hardest job for sure

Love that on a football messageboard someone has just casually dropped in that they were the actual chairman of Huddersfield Town!

[ClaretTony]

Love that on a football messageboard someone has just casually dropped in that they were the actual chairman of Huddersfield Town!

And he was for a short time. I think he even set up a friendly against us when we’d both gone out of the FA Cup. I can only boast being a director of Lancaster City.

[strayclaret]

Having made a hash of my olevels in 1970, stayed on in the 6th form and decided to knuckle down and do resits. Out of the blue because I was good a math’s got an opportunity to work in the finance department at Airedale General Hospital and left school in January 1971. The working environment certainly suited me.
Exactly 43 years later, I took early retirement from my post of Head of Paymaster Services in Harrogate a journey which took me via several NHS employers and membership of numerous local, regional and national committees, looking at pay, pension, HMRC and creditor accounts issues. I was also an examiner for CIPFA, how did I get into that, when education and I didn’t mix at school?
On retirement I said no more committees, but nearly 10 years later where do I find myself as ?, but Chairman of our Village Council.
My only regret was I let work stop me going to Plymouth for the playoff semi final second leg in 1994

[Pickles]

And he was for a short time. I think he even set up a friendly against us when we’d both gone out of the FA Cup. I can only boast being a director of Lancaster City.

Wasn't for one second implying it wasn't true, just amazed how casually it was mentioned!

[ŽižkovClaret]

Educated at Todmorden Road and Burnley Grammar School, leaving in 1970 at the age of 18. The next three years were spent reading mathematics at the University of Sheffield before moving into the big, wide world.

Having no idea what I really wanted to do, I got a summer holiday job meter reading for Norweb in Burnley before finally landing on my dream role within the flight test department at the then British Aircraft Corporation at Warton. It took very little time to realise that this was very definitely not my dream role, I was bored to tears, and after a few months I jumped at joining a recently created computer department within the same company on Strand Road in Preston.

It led to the best twenty years of my life as I moved up the ladder working as a software specialist on IBM mainframe computers. I loved the work I did, had some great bosses, had some good staff and made many good friends, some of whom I'm still in regular contact with (thus my occasional days out in Preston).

All good things come to an end. The department was merging with another and I knew it was time to move on although I was never as happy as I'd been at by then British Aerospace at Preston. I worked for ICI at Alderley Edge and Blackley, then to the Co-op (CWS) in Salford Quays and Manchester before my final company which was CSC at Euxton, next door to what was then Bolton's training ground and I think is now Preston's.

Unfortunately, ill health brought an end to my career when I was just 49. By the time I was well enough to try and return, the world I worked in had moved on so far and left me too far behind. Life at times has been a struggle since, and I started writing crap on football websites as something to do as much as anything else. The best part of that is that it's helped me forge some friendships and some of the people who post on this board have become my very best friends. Jimmy Wart (real name Mitchell), my old English teacher at BGS, would be astounded if he knew that I sat here writing most of the time. I was and still am best with numbers.

Some surprising parallels there Tony. I write for Mainframe systems now!

[EarbyClaret]

TsarBomba wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2023 4:43 pm
Worked since I was 16, was never interested in Uni. Just wanted a bit of money in my back pocket and a car.

Flirted with the RAF but they didn’t have movement in any of the trades I wanted. Passed all the exams, and waited 18 months without joy. The only thing which became available was avionics. So joined the Police instead.

But after 17 years, and for the first time ever in my Policing career, I’m done. Done with Policing, but done with the Met more specifically. They have no desire to change as an organisation, and I don’t feel like I can work for them anymore.

I don’t really have any idea where to go from here. I’ve got 2 kids so can’t afford too much of a paycut, if any. So if anyone has any ideas on what I can do and what might be out there, I’m all ears!

Facilities/Site Management - risk management and security are key elements in many of these roles
Insurance claims investigator/loss adjuster - a number of former police officers find their way into these professions

[1968claret]

HMRC - 32 years from aged 18. Where does the time go.

Harpers, im just ij my 37th year with HMRC
Currently based in 3New Bailey

[lakedistrictclaret]

Born in Burnley, moved to Penrith aged two, then to Lytham St. Annes when nearly eight.
Got my A Levels at King Edward VII School Lytham, then a law degree at the University of Birmingham.
Had a brief time in the Civil Service as a graduate entry, but hated the department I was given (Collector of Taxes) and where I was posted to (Liverpool).
I decided to use my law degree so took my professional exams, then my two years artucles ( now called a training contract ) in Lytham. Upon qualifying as a Solicitor I worked at a firm in Lancaster for three and a half years before returning to Cumbria ( which I've always regarded as home ) as a Prosecutor in 1983.
I was poached by a private practice firm in Whitehaven after two years, and was a partner there for over thirty years, doing mainly Criminal Law, before retiring in 2017.
I enjoyed my work, but it became a struggle towards the end with legal aid cuts ( any criminal lawyer will tell you this). i enjoy retirement even better!

[FCBurnley]

This article made me think about Ray Lott who was a huge Claret and sadly passed a few years ago. Don’t think anybody had more jobs than Ray. Mainly sales and I know he worked at Hebdens among many other places. He would have loved listing his many many jobs. I for one miss sparing with him on here

[DanH90]

Burnley born and bred, grew up on Mitella Street so always going to be a Claret. Left Towneley High in 2006, then onto college and the University of Manchester, graduated in 2011 with a History degree.

Bummed about for a couple of years not knowing what to do, worked for a while at Media City doing graphics operation for MOTD and Final Score (fun but not a viable career path) then decided in 2013-14 to do a Secondary PGCE. Been teaching at the same school in Salford since 2014, love it and lucky to have recently been appointed Assistant Headteacher there. Busy though with a 4 month old Claret to deal with too!

[JLaw]

I'm not usually one for posting or for over-sharing in general, but have found this thread particularly interesting, so feel I should also contribute, here goes

I was born and brought up in Burnley, survived Barden HS from 1979 to 84, then did A levels at Burnley 6th Form. Had no idea what I wanted to do, but ended up joining the civil service in Blackpool as a management trainee, which ultimately led to me moving to the Fylde in 1991 and is why Im still here, and currently living in Wrea Green

Joining the civil service made me realise I couldnt face 40 years there, and my one sole ambition I was sure of was that I wanted more money and a company car - that led to qualifying as an internal auditor and which in turn led me to joining the banking industry with Barclays in Cheshire. I did manage to get a company car, several in fact, but the novelty soon wore off and in time I became a contractor, working at several other major banks, mainly focused on project management and more recently in the world of financial crime. I commuted to London weekly, either Sunday night or Monday morning for nearly 15 years, mainly by train (so experienced all the joys of the West Coast mainline), and ended up with a US consultancy in London for nearly 5 years and more recently 2 years in a senior role at a digital business business platform. Worked with some great people, travelled quite a bit to the US, Mexico, all round Europe, the middle east and South Africa, and more recently to Sofia in Bulgaria.

I resigned and finished my most recent role at end June so have been enjoying the wet summer getting fitter and watching most of the Ashes and the Tour de France and other sports, and now the Women's WC and the new men's season

The government apparently classifies me as "economically inactive" and seems keen to get me and others in our mid-fifties, hopefully with something still to offer, back into the workforce. I think I'll start look for something new, part time, in the autumn to keep me busy but I will be avoiding 60+ hour working weeks and lots of travel

Kids wise - my daughter is a PC in Fleetwood, which is a real eye opener and a job which Im still amazed she does, and does well - I am certain I could never be a police officer. My son is a delivery driver and plays up front for Lancaster City so has given up his season ticket at Turf Moor, and my step daughter has just been promoted to sister in Preston/Fulwood hospital, and so she also sees a lot of problem patients in a very busy and stressful role

Finally, on the topic of the Clarets, i was a fan but with not much interest until 1987, which was when I started to work with Blackpool and Preston fans and which coincided with our brush with disaster in 1987.I went to the Orient game, and Ive had a season ticket most years since 1992 and have thoroughly enjoyed ups and downs since then, being glad the ups have far outweighed the downs as we are now back 3 division higher than we were in those late 80s days. Some of my happiest times have been at Burnley games, the big matches but also some of the away wins, especially at Blackpool and Preston, and at other less obvious places - its strange how I can map my life through football very easily, and can remember games from 30 years ago much more clearly than games in the last few seasons

[The Quattro]

I was one of those kids at school that seemed to just take things in without really having to work hard, which ultimately meant that I didn't work all that hard on coursework and things like that as I wasn't particularly interested. Unfortunately this meant that I dropped out of sixth form without taking my A-Levels.

I kicked around a few different jobs, initially on an agency, where I was made a supervisor at the ripe old age of 18 (tough to really get a grip of old heads when you're a snot-nosed kid and knowing what I know now, I shouldn't have accepted) and then I found a permanent job that I found acceptable. It was when I was at that job, I decided that I was interested in the police (I know, I know) and I joined as a Special Constable, working with ClaretFelix from time to time and getting a lift home from him as I didn't drive. I then joined the police full-time.

I took my sergeant's exams in 2011 and passed at the first time of asking, though I just decided to sit on the exam pass without going through the final promotion stage as I wanted to enjoy my career as a PC before being tied down to a supervisory role. Nowadays, your exam pass expires after five years, so people who pass now can't really do what I did unless they really like taking exams...

I became a football spotter (also known as an Operational Football Officer) and still think that it is the best role in the police. You get to travel the country (and Europe) working football matches and I've had some fantastic experiences. It's a real challenge at times but it is very rewarding and I'd recommend it to anyone, though you have to have an understanding partner.

I did one or two different roles before I ended up on traffic (I know, I know, I know!) and finally decided that actually, I'm ready for promotion and got myself promoted last month. I'm now a sergeant on the Roads Policing Unit and completely different to how I was when I was a kid. I still soak up information but I actually have an interest in what I'm doing now.

Sorry for the essay!!

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Football spotter and now a traffic cop?
That's enough to get you tarred and feathered in some places

[Healeywoodclaret]

As a youngster and when i left school, i always had the ambition to join the Armed Forces. My school teachers advised against this due to being one of the higher achiever's in grades, so i didn't listen and joined the Army.
Now i didn't join straight from school as i would have had to spend a year at the foundation college so i waited for adult entry. I completed all my training, basic in Whittington Barracks in Lichfield, then Catterick and then some time in Brize Norton.

I spent the next 4 years after training as a fully fledged member of the Parachute Regiment. Spent a very small time down at Browning Barracks in Aldershot and then in Colchester when we formed into the 16th Air Assault Brigade. I enjoyed a 6 week tour of Australia and New Zealand and it was great but then reality struck. September 11th.
That same year, i ended up in Kabul, Afghanistan. What a crazy experience.

My Army career came crashing down at the beginning of 2003. Just before i was due to be deployed to Kuwait for intense training before going into Iraq, i broke my knee cap. After rehabilitation, i was never the same and have been left with a form of arthritis that flares up. I was unfortunately medical discharged.

The next chapter of my life began. I secured employment with a major world wide company and trained to become a QA test and Data Analyst. I am still with the same company but i am now the QA Manager who looks over 10 QA and Data Analysts.

And you’ll always be a “Reg Bloke”! You should be proud which I’m sure you are. My husband is 61 now. We started married life in “The Shot” back in 1987 after getting married in Burnley. He still considers himself to be a “Reg Bloke” which he is. Happy Days.

[Healeywoodclaret]

My colleagues little girl just “graduated” from Nursery. They were given a Leavers Book. Each had a page with a photograph. They were all asked what do you want to be when you grow up. My friends daughters said she wanted to be Matilda!! One little lad said he wanted to work in Greggs and another little lad said “I don’t think I want a job!” As we work for the NHS most said I want to be a doctor and make people better. Phew that’s a relief!

[The Quattro]

Football spotter and now a traffic cop?
That's enough to get you tarred and feathered in some places

Don't threaten me with a good time!

[Healeywoodclaret]

In my 20th year as a copper, local, and despite the pelters I'll no doubt receive, seen a hell of a of a lot of things I wouldnt wish on my worst enemy..

My daughter after 10 years RAMC (Army Medic) has come out and is just about to embark on a new career as a Police Officer. After watching Happy Valley I’m a bit concerned, but like Catherine Cahill, she can look after herself. Yes I can imagine you’ve seen things which could manifest in some folks as PTSD. I’m sure it’s rewarding though, helping people.

[Mattster]

Went to uni to study Primary Teaching, qualified but decided during my final placement that the job wasn’t for me as I hated having loads of work still to do when I got home. Loved the classroom bit but that was barely the half of the job. Worked supply for a little bit until I could find something else but with such a specialised degree options weren’t massive.

Found a job working working in a sixth form supporting kids who were being flagged up as struggling to try and get them back on track. Volunteered to promote the sixth form in schools for a bit of overtime pay and enjoyed that and off the back of the experience and networking from that got a job at a large College doing student recruitment. Loved the job but hit a ceiling in it so moved on to work for a university project, moved into leadership role which was good but then covid hit and the travelling around for face to face meetings was replaced with sitting at a desk all day talking to people on Teams. Contracts were 1 year fixed and always left hanging on the funding until the last minute.

Not enjoying the work, wanting a change and needing a bit more job security with a young family I took a decent paycut to become a police officer which is great. I’ll be moving out of immediate response to join CID in a few months time.

[Darnhill Claret]

Read this thread and decided to just view, but now I think I'll add a few lines of my own. Apologies for any meandering along the way. I've had a lot of Sliding Doors moments in my life and I haven't always made the right choices. But that's another thread for another day maybe.
Haslingden Grammar School till I left in 1968 at just turned 16. My education hadn't gone to plan, up to the age of 11 I'd always been top of the class. In the summer immediately before going to big school I was hit in the head by someone wielding a cricket bat and I now believe that may have had an effect on me that I didn't realise at the time. Left with 1 'o' level.
Joined Lancs Constabulary as a cadet at Stanley Grange, Houghton. Fantastic 12 months, half physical up in The Lakes and half in the classroom. Studied British Law and Constitution, gained my 2nd 'o' level and the intake academic prize, presented by Sir Bill Palfrey, Chief Constable.
Following year worked at Blackburn Police Station in the Communications Room for 3 months followed by 3 months in Traffic. During this period I did a 4 month stint as a Community Service Volunteer in London at Hither Green Hospital. This was probably the best time of my life and maybe I should have gone for a career change when the matrons suggested I should. At 21 I decided to leave at a time of many Police resignations.

Moved to London later that year and started as a guard on The Bakerloo Line until 6 months later I joined Mecca Bookmakers as a trainee manager. 3 years later transferred back up north to the Burnley area and did 13 more years in the betting shops, anywhere in the north as a relief manager until I got the Brierfield shop followed a couple of years later the Nelson, Scotland Road shop. Mecca Bookmakers took over the William Hill company but traded under the more established name.

Left in 1989 to set up my own business as an independent bookmaker but the timing was wrong and I made a not very professional misjudgement that cost me the business. So back to William Hill in 1991 for another 2 and a bit years, this time in Greater Manchester.
In 1993 I started working as a volunteer in a local Children's Home one day a week. When a vacancy arose the manageress, suggested that I should apply for the position, so I did. Worked for the next 10 years in residential work before moving to Blackburn with Darwen to work in a team designed to prevent young people being placed in care. That was the most rewarding period of work with young people as it was easier to measure the success of the team. Not one of the young people I worked with were placed into the care system. After 3 years the multidisciplinary team were disbanded due to financial cuts, and the fact that our manager was tasked with heading the social care team investigating the sexual grooming of vulnerable youths in the area.
Came back to LCC to work in a Social Work Team specifically working with fostered young people and some other complex cases.

After 17 years working with young people in and out of the care system with some very complicated and complex cases I left the area, my personal life was not in a good place and my mental health was suffering.
I have kept a letter written to me by a young person who I supported through court appearances thanking me, and another young person had their life story published and gave me a named mention saying how much I had helped them.
So it wasn't a completely thankless task.

Took a few years off and now I drive adults with learning disabilities to and from their day centres.