Jobs, careers, vocation, occupation

[Pickles]

Up to you how much you wish to share of course. But I'm just wondering what people do or did for a living, if it's what they trained/studied in and how long they've been doing it/did it?. Is/was it your dream job? Any career changes later in life?

I trained as an actor in London and had around ten years of fairly consistent work across theatre, TV and radio. It hasn't been the same since C-19 for myself and many mates in the industry but hey ho. I'm currently teaching English and writing a commission for the BBC.

Lots of interesting people on the messageboard so might make for a good thread before the football, finally, takes over again!

[claretburns]

Nothing special for me, left college at 18 after my A-Levels, I knew from high school age I had no interest in university, I got a job after leaving college in a customer service department and worked my way up through the company with various promotions and now I run a team of 25 people handling a side of the business generating £2,500,000 a month in revenue, been there for 11 years now. From the outside looking in just a typical 9 to 5 office job.

[Woodleyclaret]

I had over 20 jobs before becoming a teacher which I have done since 1976.Now starting my next part-time role in a school nearby in September. Retired several times but inflation got in the way.

[A.Claret.Fan]

Turned down an engineering apprenticeship at BEP, to my dad's dismay, and went to Blackburn College to do Computer Science OND.

Worked in IT (new name) since 1980 (Hepworth Ind Plastics in Hapton), and now ready for the slag heap... My current role is worldwide so I've seen a fair bit of this planet and always touted the mighty Clarets.

[ChrisG]

I was an insurance fraud investigator for 11 years or so, got fed up with it so binned it off and went to uni at the age of 31. Now a RICS chartered QS, currently living in Germany.

Best move I ever made going to uni, I love my job now.

[Jjjack]

Did my A levels, didn't do amazing in them and would've been a waste of time going to uni. Did an apprenticeship in electrical engineering, always wanted to be a pilot growing up but I'm colour blind and would probably have been limited by my A levels anyway.

[Cajun]

Spent 35 years working in various aspects of the media and newspaper journalism in UK and USA. Best period was in 90s as Deputy Sports Editor of a big regional daily. Never paid enough though and I finally packed in and nowadays just doing a driving job until upcoming retirement hovering on the horizon

[ŽižkovClaret]

Done various jobs really, and left the UK in 2014 and now part of a team writing and managing technical materials for a huge tech conglomerate

[roperclaret]

Degree in Astrophysics. Got a summer job in sales when I finished. Still in Sales 28 years later.

[KateR]

n the energy business since I left, school, got a job at Shell Chemicals and left home at 18, they put m through college, stayed 7 years, thought knew almost everything, joined a company in London who started sending me overseas to stat up new facilities, refineries (quickly realissed I knew nothing), gas plants, ammonia, etc. Stayed doing that for 7 years, while I was working on a refinery in the Middle East I was offered a job working for the National OiI Company I was offered a position and stayed a long time before being offered a position in Houston. Been in Houston quite a while dong mostly Business Development, but I've been doing other international jobs for the same company mostly setting up new Companies (JV type), retired a few yeas ago and sated consulting and doing the hours I want to do. Last 3 years has mostly been spent around New/Alternative Energy.

Managed to have some children along the way and don't think I'd change a thing really work wise

[MDWat]

I left school at 18 and worked as an apprentice accountant for about 18 months and absolutely hated it. With hindsight, I wasn’t really ‘ready’ for full-time work. I worked 8-5, struggled with sleep and eventually packed in about three quarters of the way through my qualifications.

I started university the following summer, and started working at a debt charity on a part-time basis, training to be a debt advisor. I did that throughout university, but throughout my time I’d realised my motivation was developing people. I’ve had a couple of promotions and worked through various teams and been responsible for c.110 people in the contact centre. I’ve 13 years of experience of debt knowledge and 7 years of leadership experience but fancied a change recently.

I was successful in applying for a Product Manager role so I’m now responsible for the product we offer to people, rather than the people who do the do. Only been in the role 5 weeks or so but really enjoying the difference.

I’ll go back to people eventually but glad to get experience doing something differently. Most people I know doing ‘contact centre’ type work don’t like it but I think it’s ace, especially if you get good people around you.

[Swizzlestick]

I left school at 18 and worked as an apprentice accountant for about 18 months and absolutely hated it. With hindsight, I wasn’t really ‘ready’ for full-time work. I worked 8-5, struggled with sleep and eventually packed in about three quarters of the way through my qualifications.

I started university the following summer, and started working at a debt charity on a part-time basis, training to be a debt advisor. I did that throughout university, but throughout my time I’d realised my motivation was developing people. I’ve had a couple of promotions and worked through various teams and been responsible for c.110 people in the contact centre. I’ve 13 years of experience of debt knowledge and 7 years of leadership experience but fancied a change recently.

I was successful in applying for a Product Manager role so I’m now responsible for the product we offer to people, rather than the people who do the do. Only been in the role 5 weeks or so but really enjoying the difference.

I’ll go back to people eventually but glad to get experience doing something differently. Most people I know doing ‘contact centre’ type work don’t like it but I think it’s ace, especially if you get good people around you.

As somebody currently wading their way through accountancy exams while working full time, I feel your pain.

[Bosscat]

Left school at 16 and spent the next 31+ years in a Factory working my way up to Shift Manager.

Then at 47 I trained as a Locksmith and did that till I was 58 ... sold my Business and retired ... so I have done the "house on the hill" (Bugger Hall) since then, just enjoying my retirement

[Croydon Claret]

I'm a senior software developer for Lloyds Bank in charge of the security layer for their Internet Banking app/website. Whilst other people get angry when the app goes down I get worried in case it was something I did

I was into programming as a young teen but for some mad reason left school at 16 in 1986 and started worked for Lloyds in Burnley/Blackburn/Manchester for 16 years. Wasn't really my thing, dealing with people is not my strength, prefer to get my head down and just focus on something.

At age 30 I finally realised I wasn't making the most of life so taught myself some languages, got an official Microsoft certification, and managed to get a job in London in the bank's IT department.

Best thing I ever did, aside from having to live in the London area

[Frenchclaret]

Left school in in Blackburn in 1962 and went to the College on Ormerod Rd for one year to resit an A level and do Geology from scratch. Went to London University to study Geography and then to Borough Road College to do a Teacher's Certificate. Got a job in Preston at Hutton Grammar School, stayed two years then moved to Wisbech Grammar School in Cambridgeshire. I came for two years and stayed 30+ years as the school went Independent and I enjoyed teaching so much. I became Head of Geography then Senior Master. I retired in 2003 after stomach cancer and have lived in a village close to Wisbech and in France until we left there in 2018. Still return to Burnley to see my sister and the Clarets.

[SammyBoy]

Didn't want to get a job so sort of floated through Uni and now have an MA in History that I've never used, started out in procurement after that but it didn't really suit me, so I've worked in sales for the last 6 or 7 years.

[Lowbankclaret]

Left School at 16, did an apprenticeship like about 50 others that year at Lucas. Worked there till 1997 and then moved to the midlands to work for RR. Moved back and work at Barnoldswick for 20 odd years. My last 7-8 years were in Purchase, got to travel a lot and help fix some very broken companies. Retired due to covid at 55 and don’t expect to working ever again.

Loved the job up until the last couple of years when RR forgot it made components and Engines.

[CaptJohn]

Left school after A levels and joined the Merchant navy. Worked my way up to Captain and along the way discovered I was rather good at shiphandling. big ships. Supertankers and large LNG tankers. Worked as a Pilot/Loading Master at several oil terminals in West Africa and the Middle East before becoming Marine Manager at the UAEs largest offshore Terminal. Spent 10 years in the UAE before moving back to West Africa to set up a complete marine operation at an offshore oil terminal for a Swiss company. Spent seven wonderful years doing that before moving to Yemen to manage a large oil export terminal. The war in Yemen basically put paid to that job and I retired in 2015. However I was tempted back to do some part time consultancy work acting as company representative at an offshore oil export facility in Equatorial Guinea. Covid put paid to that as I used to fly in, supervise an oil cargo offload and fly home. Retired in 2020 and bought a greenhouse and joined the local golf club. My tomatoes are just ripening and my swing is improving

[elwaclaret]

Started off at John Cotton’s at Colne, did an HND… couple of jobs in advertising, then a swerve into food distribution before setting into managing Opticians and learning the trade. Breakdown in 2007… eventually returned to University to get a combined BA honours, currently in the middle of my masters dissertation in History. Found out this year my breakdown was probably a massive autistic episode… since been diagnosed as an autistic ADHD sufferer, which has gone unspotted for 52 years.

[AfloatinClaret]

...Now a RICS chartered QS, currently living in Germany.

Good to know I'm not the only brick-counter on here.

[Raconteur]

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.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

I've done a range of different jobs

Left school with no real idea of what I wanted to do, but I moved from Wales to Berks

Cash in hand labourer first, then worked in a supermarket over the Xmas
Hated it and started an apprenticeship as a mechanic, which I finished and did 7yrs before quitting it

Worked for Dominoes as a driver at the same time for a bit.

Worked retail in various places from Cash Generator to Spa to Sports Direct

I've worked in and managed at a couple of different motor factors
Sold goods internationally at a land rover place

Worked in a factory making Felt Carpet Underlay, the boss views and occasionally posts on here

Was a Parking attendant (traffic warden) for a bit, which was interesting to say the least

I tried to get into McLaren twice and finished 2nd twice in the interview stages, sadly, but I got to see their factory twice and see Senna's McLaren F1 car so I'm happy with that.

Quit mechanics for the 2nd time just over 2.5yrs ago and now deliver food/shopping for a living, which I'm happy enough doing for now because of the money I make and the freedom it gives me.

I've worked out I've had 35-40 jobs since I left school so I always laugh when people say there aren't any jobs out there

[Xianclaret]

Turned down an engineering apprenticeship at BEP, to my dad's dismay, and went to Blackburn College to do Computer Science OND.

Worked in IT (new name) since 1980 (Hepworth Ind Plastics in Hapton), and now ready for the slag heap... My current role is worldwide so I've seen a fair bit of this planet and always touted the mighty Clarets.

Worked at Hepworth from 1983 to 1999 in Extrusion and enjoyed my job.

[Joe14]

Driving instructor in cars for 20 years. Driving instructor for Lancashire Fire & Rescue for the last 3 years. On call crew manager at my local fire station since 2013.
I’m one of lucky ones who loves his jobs. Find a job that you love and you never have to work again in your life!!

[Tricky Trevor]

Never very academic and Mum didn’t know where I’d end up. She took me to a private career advisor who gave me reams of Q&As. Weeks later he said, “he likes helping people, he likes physical work, he loves being outdoors, he should be a fireman or policeman”.
I chose the Fire Service but living in North Yorks. all the stations around us were part-time.
My football manager was mates with the guy that ran North Yorks football who happened to be the Teesside FS Chiefs secretary. After a chat between them I was in. Joining at 18 I had to do 32 years as you couldn’t retire until 50. The very best years of my life with wonderful colleagues, even the ones that followed our neighbours.

[Inchy]

Recently started as a trainee advanced nurse practitioner in community after spending 10 years working in acute hospital, mainly intensive care. Was a resus officer and critical care outreach charge nurse when I left

Got fed up of nights and covid did me in to be honest. Mentally it took its toll and the final straw was having to run the resus attempt of a colleague who unfortunately died. Realised I needed to leave hospital and reevaluate my work life balance. Currently loving the new challenge.

Trained as a nurse after farting about in my early 20s. Still love the job and never regret doing it. Money could be better but caring and helping people, as cheeses as it sounds, is very rewardable

[Inchy]

Or rewarding rather.

[LeadBelly]

Left BGS in 1968 and got a degree in Statistics - studying in Cardiff (with 2 X 6 month placements alsewhere).

Worked for a fair few (all very well known) consumer-facing private sector companies in the areas of mathematical modeling, market research, market analysis, strategic planning, competitor intelligence.

Experienced various industries: foodstuff, tobacco products, domestic appliances, garden equipment, automotive, retail energy. Worked in various locations across England and Wales.

Though some of the companies were international, very little foreign travel involved (and mainly just to France).

I really enjoy using analytical skills so my career was nearly all very enjoyable work but retired 12-13 years ago and now very much enjoying that vocation

[Tribesmen]

Kind of did a lot but nothing at all really .
Started off 4 years woodworking , working in Holiday camps , Bars, Kitchens all kinds of low paid wages while in the UK , things got intersting when i went backpacking , now can't even think of what i did to be honest but picked al hell of a lot for fruit ( may fav was Bananas ) but hated cotton which is not a fruit but you get my drift .
Best job was a pedi cad driver in San Franscisco many moons ago .
Now spend the last 27 years pushing a trolley around a factory here in Ireland , as you can guess never got rich but hey still here .

[jedi_master]

Always wanted to be a sports journalist (did my work experience at Burnley Express on the desk with Chris Boden and Edward Lee!). For some reason I didn’t follow that through, wish I had really. Went to Leeds Uni and got a degree in Multimedia Technology which is, basically, utterly useless (taught a ‘bit’ about lots of different animation and graphics packages but nowhere near enough to be proficient enough to look for a role in that field).

Worked for RBS for my first ‘proper’ job before going into I.T. I ran the Major Incident Management team for a certain very large telecommunications/sports broadcasting company for 9 years. I’m still there now but became a Service Architect 3 years ago. Essentially any customer that we’re going for the business of, I have to design the proposition from a technical and service perspective as part of the bid process and author the associated bid documentation/contract schedules etc. It’s sometimes boring, sometimes very interesting (entirely depends on the business we’re dealing with to be honest). Get a lot of travel out of it as it involves a lot of customer site visits.

How do I feel about things? I’m well paid, moreso than I ever thought I would be - but I often think to myself “what work stories do I have to share when I’m gray and old?”. It’s one of those very gray, corporate roles that I do for the money and not for any passion. I get satisfaction when we win business, but its certainly not the job any kid grows up wanting to do. At 36 I feel locked into this now and should probably be grateful for that, but I yearn for more from life on a work level if I’m honest.

[Burnley1989]

HNC in mechanical engineering and metrology
Work in the engineering & manufacturing sector but in a sales engineer & account management role, sort of stuck in it now but I feel I’m experienced after almost 20 years so I’ll likely stick with it for a while yet then have a career change once my children grow up

[Clovius Boofus]

I'm a senior software developer for Lloyds Bank in charge of the security layer for their Internet Banking app/website. Whilst other people get angry when the app goes down I get worried in case it was something I did

I apologise to everyone for going OT.

Croydon, I have both the Lloyds banking app and the Halifax banking app. AFAIA they are basically a mirror of each other with a different skin, but the thing is, on the Lloyds app I get instant notifications on my iPhone when I make a purchase, yet when I use my Halifax current account card, I get zilch.

Both apps are set up the same with notifications enabled etc, but try as I might, I can't receive them when using the Halifax app. I have to log into the Halifax app to see what I've just spent, instead of simply looking at my notification screen. Any suggestions, apart from telling me to sod off for bugging you in your free time?

[agreenwood]

Studied to be an astronaut at Burnley College and haven’t looked back. Divide my time between Leeds and the moon.

[ksrclaret]

Did a degree in Neuroscience. Then spent a short time as a postgraduate research scientist working on treating secondary brain tumours, before training as an A Level Biology teacher and I've worked at a large Sixth Form College ever since. For the most part, I absolutely love it.

[RVclaret]

Undergrad and masters in finance, 6 years working for a trading firm in Australia, now moved back to London and started a new job recently for a well known American stock exchange within their data & analytics division. Love finance, interesting, dynamic, pays well and good progression opportunities, can’t see myself ever changing.

[CoolClaret]

I'm a senior software developer for Lloyds Bank in charge of the security layer for their Internet Banking app/website. Whilst other people get angry when the app goes down I get worried in case it was something I did

I was into programming as a young teen but for some mad reason left school at 16 in 1986 and started worked for Lloyds in Burnley/Blackburn/Manchester for 16 years. Wasn't really my thing, dealing with people is not my strength, prefer to get my head down and just focus on something.

At age 30 I finally realised I wasn't making the most of life so taught myself some languages, got an official Microsoft certification, and managed to get a job in London in the bank's IT department.

Best thing I ever did, aside from having to live in the London area

What languages and frameworks do you use if you don’t mind telling?

& do you work like with the back-end engineers or dev ops guys mainly?

Thanks =)

[IanMcL]

30 years in P. O. Telephones/BT. Rose Senior Cust Svces manager before getting a new boss who was afraid, so sold me to Marketing, where I was part of a team introducing Friends and Family to the UK.

Managed to land a voluntary redundancy opportunity, cwhich I grabbed with bith hands. 6 maths pay. 62/3 years pension enhancement and pension at 50. Left aged 45.5!

Created a show to exploit my passion of Scottish History, Music, Song and Dance and then promoted it in some of the finest venues. New storyline each year. First show was The Royal Albert Hall. Downhill from there!
11 years then my wife became ill with cancer. End.

Became a Wiltshire Councillor in 2009 after 14 years as a Salisbury District Councillor. Still WC Cllr until May 2025.

Now between Scotland and Wiltshire, planning for independence.

[enduroclaret]

Interesting thread, what an interesting and talented bunch.
I left school at 16, did an engineering apprenticeship just as engineering was hitting rock bottom. Finished that and bummed around a bit, cash in hand on building sites etc…. I got interested in carpentry, then got a job installing factory doors.
Then started my own small business installing and repairing Industrial and automatic doors.
Sold that in 2017. After living in Rossendale and Great Harwood I moved to near Knutsford. I’d bought some land down there in 2004.
Built a house and outbuildings, currently building a two bed annex, which my daughter, boyfriend and grandson will be moving into whist they save up for their own house. Then we’ll rent it out as a holiday cottage.
I’ve never been busier or more skint….but never been happier.

[jdrobbo]

BSc Geography degree (University of Leeds)

PGCE

Primary School Teacher and Key Stage Leader - inner city Leeds primary (17 years).

Part time work…was a security guard for a dry powder store in Burnley (2018-21). Was told I was no longer needed.

[DXS]

Work in educational role after 35 years in manufacturing, absolutely love it and have only just realised how much I've learnt over those 35 years. Get a real buzz from passing on my experience to the younger lads/lasses and seeing them progress. This is in Burnley and gives me massive confidence for the future of manufacturing in Burnley and the surrounding area

[bfccrazy]

Left school and bounced around a few different jobs … and then self employed for a while with a couple of ventures.

Moved out of the area after meeting a girl and all that jazz and got a job in agro chem …. Got bored there and was headhunted into a managerial job with one of/the biggest multi purpose compost manufacturer in Europe ….. then left to work in the energy sector - was never what I planned to end up doing but the pay/package is very good so I’ll stick around for a good while I think . I’m surrounded by folk much more intelligent than me but I’ll “outgraft” folk and always willing to keep learning and advancing.

[Croydon Claret]

I apologise to everyone for going OT.

Croydon, I have both the Lloyds banking app and the Halifax banking app. AFAIA they are basically a mirror of each other with a different skin, but the thing is, on the Lloyds app I get instant notifications on my iPhone when I make a purchase, yet when I use my Halifax current account card, I get zilch.

Both apps are set up the same with notifications enabled etc, but try as I might, I can't receive them when using the Halifax app. I have to log into the Halifax app to see what I've just spent, instead of simply looking at my notification screen. Any suggestions, apart from telling me to sod off for bugging you in your free time?

Hello
Yes you're correct to a certain extent that the apps are essentially the same, with just the skins re-rendered according to brand.

However the physical app on your phone is only a tiny fraction of the overall banking system. It acts more as a lightweight gateway into the main systems, in the same way that a browser does, rather than being a self contained decision making entity.

There are many layers to a banking app and whilst the front ends(the physical apps) do have a similar look and feel there's all sorts of back end decision engines and databases that dictate different behaviours and features between the brands.

I don't get involved in any of the products/features that we offer but I know it used to be the case that Halifax would only send a notification if a payment was going to take you overdrawn, and that was driven by a different toggle setting in a database.

Possibly that's still the case and Halifax doesn't offer the same notification features that Lloyds does

[boatshed bill]

Part time work…was a security guard for a dry powder store in Burnley (2018-21). Was told I was no longer needed.

I like that.

[harpers_perm]

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

[bobinho]

Left school, became an apprentice painter and decorator. Hated it spectacularly - still do.

Messed about for a few years, in and out of work, not really doing anything worthwhile. Got myself in a bit of bother, ended up in magistrates court and worked off my debt to society doing community service. Realised I was going nowhere so joined the Army.

Stuck basic training out only because of my Mums voice in my head telling me I wouldn't do it. That voice was VERY loud but I was determined to prove her wrong.

Spent 22 years in the Army, loved most of it. Somehow, I felt like I owed the Army something, as it proper straightened me out. Lucky enough to travel the world and see some great places and experience some great things. Unlucky enough to have spent some time in some of the worlds most celebrated shitholes, and experienced some things I'd rather not repeat and that I'd prefer not to remember.

Now a manager at a local engineering company, and every day I am challenged by trying to manage civilians, some of whom try their hardest to be unmanageable!

[bobinho]

Left school and bounced around a few different jobs … and then self employed for a while with a couple of ventures.

Moved out of the area after meeting a girl and all that jazz and got a job in agro chem …. Got bored there and was headhunted into a managerial job with one of/the biggest multi purpose compost manufacturer in Europe ….. then left to work in the energy sector - was never what I planned to end up doing but the pay/package is very good so I’ll stick around for a good while I think . I’m surrounded by folk much more intelligent than me but I’ll “outgraft” folk and always willing to keep learning and advancing.

Some of the most successful people who ever lived surrounded themselves by people smarter than them. It's the smart thing to do...

[Volvoclaret]

30 years in P. O. Telephones/BT. Rose Senior Cust Svces manager before getting a new boss who was afraid, so sold me to Marketing, where I was part of a team introducing Friends and Family to the UK.

Managed to land a voluntary redundancy opportunity, cwhich I grabbed with bith hands. 6 maths pay. 62/3 years pension enhancement and pension at 50. Left aged 45.5!

Created a show to exploit my passion of Scottish History, Music, Song and Dance and then promoted it in some of the finest venues. New storyline each year. First show was The Royal Albert Hall. Downhill from there!
11 years then my wife became ill with cancer. End.

Became a Wiltshire Councillor in 2009 after 14 years as a Salisbury District Councillor. Still WC Cllr until May 2025.

Now between Scotland and Wiltshire, planning for independence.

Didn't know Wiltshire wanted independence

[Croydon Claret]

What languages and frameworks do you use if you don’t mind telling?

& do you work like with the back-end engineers or dev ops guys mainly?

Thanks =)

I've worked on most of it apart from the databases.

Unfortunately I can't really reveal anything about the physical systems in use as that could be a clue for any potential hackers to target any known weaknesses in them

I've worked on most of it over the years though. The Android app is Java based, the iOS app is written in Objective C. Mostly everything else uses C, Java, XSLT or SQL

Currently look after the layer that is the first middle tier system to be hit, but prior to that worked on the middle tier Java layer. We have to ensure that any sensitive data that might reveal anything about the back end systems, or the user session is encrypted/decrypted. Also check security certificates, ensure the presented cookies have not been tampered with, scan any attached files for viruses, and route traffic to different end points.

Only really get involved in talking to DevOps when they decide they want to change one of test/build/source code products.

[Clovius Boofus]

I don't get involved in any of the products/features that we offer but I know it used to be the case that Halifax would only send a notification if a payment was going to take you overdrawn, and that was driven by a different toggle setting in a database.

Possibly that's still the case and Halifax doesn't offer the same notification features that Lloyds does

Cheers for the info. The funny thing is that I used to get the Halifax notifications when I had an Android OS phone. Anyway, it's no big deal. It's just that you'll buy a round and someone will ask how much it cost, and rather than simply look at my main screen, I have log into the app.

[IanMcL]

Left school at 16 and spent the next 31+ years in a Factory working my way up to Shift Manager.

Then at 47 I trained as a Locksmith and did that till I was 58 ... sold my Business and retired ... so I have done the "house on the hill" (Bugger Hall) since then, just enjoying my retirement

So am I understanding this right, Bosscat?
You went from being shifty into breaking and entering?