Very cool thread... it's interesting to see what people have studied and what they end up doing.

Anyway, graduated Sac State Univ with a BS in Computer Sciences in '81. My first 'real' job was as a computer operator for Cable Data in Sacramento as a computer operator. Man I loved running those old 'mainframe' computers. They were the real systems, raised floor computer rooms, rows of 9-track tape drives, removable hard drive disc packs, card readers, teletype writer consoles, etc. Remember, this was in the late 70's. These systems are in museums now - Honeywell computers.

Next job was as a operator/programmer on HP 3000 systems. Writing HMO software in Fortran and Cobol. Did that for several years then moved to So. Cal and went to work for Northrop Corp., Electronics Division in their Business systems division. Also go to work some 'back room' black projects for a couple years while I was there. Loved it! Should've stayed there but the constant 'layoff' axe always seemed to be looming. Did not like that and it began to wear on me.

Missed No. Cal, so while looking for another job in Sac. CA area, I overshot and ended up in Redding working for a small systems / software house as a contract type programmer. I hated that job and did it for almost 4 years until I found a job in the Fairfield area. The company was called E.T. - stood for Explosive Technologys. Made explosive excape systems for the Air Force and NASA. Loved that job but I hated the commute - Fairfield to Redding every weekend.

Managed to find a job as a I.S. Manager for a small 3rd party insurance administrator back in Redding. Did that for 9 years, liked it for a long time then the owner got wierd and I got fed up with the management Bull S$!# and found the job I have today.

Currently employed by the Superior Court of CA - County of Shasta as a court technology analyst. What that means is I administor their inhouse computer system, also do systems analysis and programming when needed. I like it, but after 24 years of computers I'm kind of burnt out.

I think if I ever live long enough to retire, I'm going to take a sledge hammer to my alarm clock and a PC and reduce them down to their individial componets. If I had to make a career change, I've always thought I'd like to get my smog tech. license and open my own smog only shop. After all, I don't think smog checks are going to go away in my lifetime. I'm going to try and teach my son to do what he loves and to try and make it on his own - not let his employer decide how much he's worth, income wise.

University of Montreal Law, 1980
Concordia University, MBA 1994

Began work as a trial lawyer in 1980, mostly defending personal injury and insurance claim cases, but also some commercial litigation.
Joined a Bank's legal department in 1988, of all things, and soon got to work on merger deals.
Moved from the bank to its investment dealer subsidiary in 1995 and now work on the bond desk as a trader, specializing in mortgage secutities. The money is good and we have good gang on the desk that is very tighly knit and that I have fun with (most of the time). Life is pretty good right now, although I have enough experience to know that can change.
Our carreers do change over time ! Being curious and willing to learn new things are the most important attributes, I think.
My hobbies have changed over time too. Fixing and running little foreign cars has been on the agenda for aobut 10 years now.

Michel Richard
914 2.2E MFI

HVAC Contractor, high school education with several night school tech courses and many equipment manufacturer schools. Love my job, but it's been a long road to hoe to this point. Things have been great the last few years with construcion and new housing up in our area. We specialize in Geo Exchange systems which with fuel prices right now things are soaring. The technology keeps growing so we never stand still for long always something new to learn.

Hey Im in the detroit area too, my job stuff is back on the 2nd or 3rd page. (Car Designer) Do you ever get to any of the SW MI 914 events?
Mark
72 914 V8

Thanks for helping design the only good looking cars on the road!!!

IMO, the crossfire, pacifica, and 300m are the only new cars worth a damn (with the exception of the magnum and boxster).

BS Mechanical Engineering

I'm presently a Practitioner of "the Black Arts" - 6 Sigma.

14 Yrs with GE Power Systems. I had a blast for the first 5 years as a field engineer, then burned out.

3 yrs with Solar Turbines - 6 Sigma Black belt (Internal Quality consultant/Project manger)

Looking towards starting my own company.

Aaron,
We traded emails before but did not connect. I enjoyed this thread because I LOVE MY JOB. I dropped out of HS jr year and ran away to cali in 73. I got a job coiling springs. That's right, forming little bits of wire into helixes to make stuff move. I spent 22 years learning the trade (metalforming) 10 of which was spent making other people VERY wealthy running their company for them. F!@# that! I started my own company in 96 and going to work every day is really easy for me. I won't bore you all with the details of what we do, but here is the message:
Kill your Boss, quit the company and start your own business! Control your own destiny!

But barring starting your own company, get a ME degree and go to work for an Industrial Design firm and then jump ship to one their client startups that interests you.

Pat,
Got any leads? I have a BSID from ACCD but work as an NPIE at KLA-T doing TS in an low stock value down turn with less people, more work, finger pointing, RIF environment

Profession: Investment manager/financial planner
Education: BA Finance, Econ minor
Do I enjoy my job? Absoultely. Why? I spend all my time trying to help people avoid money mistakes. It's very rewarding. Banker's hours. Pretty much control my own work schedule. Can balance time between work and research. It's nice.

Secondary benefit: I get to talk to people from many career fields and learn about their work. After 8 years and thousands of client meetings, learning about different fields and professions from my clients - if I could go back in time what career would I pusue?

Investment manager/financial planner (I like my job and good compensation)
Dentist (all my dentist clients make around $250k/yr and work 30hrs/wk)
Nurse Anesthitist (5 or 6 years of school, $150k/yr and work 25-30hrs/wk)
Doctor with a specialty (lower on my list - more stress, more hours, good/excellent comp)
Engineer (good/fair comp, but more stress, hours, and stupid non-engineer-management)

-Ben M.

I enjoy this site. How many live in california?Seems like everyone.
Anyway, I've got an associates degree in business,
I've owned three so far, I' m 34 .
One was custom deck construction, 3yrs, the other was
a solid surface (corian & such) countertop and shower company 10 yrs,
and my current one ; Real Estate home inspection.

My advice to anyone considering self employment is this;
Write down the reason your doing this(self employment), give this letter to your lawyer have him mail it to you 1 year later. If your reality doesnt live up to your reasons.
make the hard choices till it does., or until your happy.

I know it sounds like new-age crap . But you'll soon realize your new lifestyle isnt about the money you thought was important.

Either way, enjoy what you do & plan for retirment.

you 'll be old before you know it.

How about, "no?"

Some of us were just born in California but escaped at an early age...

Escape from the land of fruits and nuts? Say it isnt so.
Sounds like a John Carpenter film where's Snake Pliskin when ya need him.

Yeah, but DUDE, you get to drive the engine!

Yep, from fruits and nuts to Freemen and the Unibomber.

Blew a ski scholarship at the University of Wyoming in order to be a ski bum in Sun Valley, ID. Wake up every morning regretting that I ever left that gig.

Graduated later from the Colorado Institute of Art.

Was a self employed graphic designer... but burned out.

Got in to aviation 15 years ago to fly (it was in the blood) but ended up in management. Just got laid off in August (a whole sorted story in it's own).

Entrepenuer at heart so during my lay-off searched for something of interest and $$$ with low investment. I'm a "people person". So I will be taking the Wyoming State Insurance Exam tomorrow in order to take an appointment with AFLAC. Anyone have experience with AFLAC?

I am also the Founder of the Wyoming Snuff Company... www.hempdip.com

Life... live it air cooled and unlike me... ditch the f...ing rear view mirror!

I think this should be stickied or classic'd... It's so cool to see the huge amount of talent that's on this board. You guys are amazing!

I spent 4 years at San Jose State from '65-69. NO degree, lots of knowledge. I was an English Lit. major with a minor in Biology. Worked my way thru at hardware stores. At the end of 4 years I knew more about hardware. Knocked around the retail business for a couple of years, then wholesale plumbing, then running the inside operation for a plumbing wholesaler. Got fed up. Became a plumbing wholesale salesman, best job ever, highest paid unskilled labor on the planet. After 27 years I burned out from new ownership and traffic in San Francisco, mostly the parking(or lack thereof). Now I'm a buyer for a Commercial/Industrial hardware store in SF. Just marking time until my wife, a teacher, "pulls the pin" and we can do something interesting together. Like get a bigass motorhome and drive slow in front of people or something. Actually, we plan to spend our first year in Italy, using it as a base to see all of Europe. A year of European racing, Monaco, Le Mans, Goodwood, etc. and I guess she'll find something to do.
If my experience has anything of value to relate, it is Go to college, not for job training but to learn something about yourself and those around you. To learn how to learn new things and be open to new things. Best of luck.

i get paid to harass college girls. i could make more money, but it's a good gig for the time being.

I graduated from the school of hard knocks with a degree in BS.
I self taught everything I've done as I've needed the skills through out my life.
Built pre-fab houses in a factory for a year or so.
Welding trade school led to a 4 year stretch at a ship yard as a certified welder. Worked in the freezing cold and dead of winter outside. Got laid off during the summer. Worked in my garage building Big Block Chev drag cars and custom painted for cash. Self taught auto body skills lead to starting and owning a collision repair store for 20 years. I worked all the time. I had a 6 full time employees, 4000 sf shop with a 1300 sf office, computerized, all the collision equipment, etc. Got tired of fighting with Insurance Companies and disfunctional employees. Sold the Building and sold off the large bulk of equipment and took 1 1/2 years off to get to know my little kids. Got a call one day from a friend that worked for an independent adjusting office. Told me to come down as they were short handed. Wrote auto for a few months, then started in property. Heard about a job opening with the company that employees me now. I've been a multi-line rep now for 4 years. The job consumes my life. You are judged purely on performance numbers. Don't meet the standards and your job is instantly on the line. No pat on the back for the great work you've done, only Exceeds, Meets, or Does not Meet! That's it. Cold hard Facts. Deal with it!
I like my home office except I could work 14 to 16 hrs a day easy.
Do I like it? No!
Does it pay the bills? You bet!
Who said you have to enjoy your job anyway! Makes it easier to get up in the morning. But it's not the only reason to work. Money talks, B.S.Walks.

If I could make a living doing custom car work without all the B.S. Employee headaches I'd ditch this gig in a heart beat.

I am a Radiologic Technologist, and now work in the Cardiac Cath Lab, implanting stents, pacemakers, AICD's (jump starters for sick hearts) and all that jazz.
I went to a hospital based X-Ray school, so I do not have a degree. However, I have been fortunate to do well in my field and now work as an independent contractor, going to lots of different hospitals in the LA-Orange Co area, filling needs in this highly technical area. The technical advances that I have seen in just the past 10-15 years are incredible!
I also truly love woking with people and feel great satisfaction knowing that I helped someone's life be either saved or made better! The pay isn't bad either (now that is).


Lisa

I am a plant engineer for a baking company hehe in the pacific nw. money is great but sometimes free time is worth far more than moola AL

Hehe... Hey Redbeard I'm sure my company made your life a whole lotta hell at Solar.

Solar is one of our bigger customers... maybe you can guess we sell forgings for turbines.

In the FWIW column kudos to you dabbling in the black art of Six-Sigma. We've got some people at our company that do that.... scary kinda folks with thier magical potions and pointy hats....

Hay Al, me to!!

Plant Engineer for the # 3 yogurt company in the US. Now part of the #1 world wide yogurt company....based in FRANCE!....guess I got to learn French.....

Good part is we are growing and so always have new challanges. Most of my time is spent in "we want this" but have no money!!!

so....EAT MORE YOGURT, IT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND KEEPS ME EMPLOYED!!

herb

Did you have to surrender?

Yeh, you have to surrender..................just drop your pants and let the frogs take over. No Mike, we don't want video.

Lemme esplain sumting to jew Lucee.....

Dropping trow to express disdain is a whole lot different than dropping trow fer recreational activity of the butt pirate variety......

I drop only for an expression of freedom of speech.....I'm married with children....I haven't been laid since the Carter Administration.... :finger2:

Yeh you have - the guberment does it at least once per year and more frequently if they think they can get away with it.

WOW!!! new avatar. good one for the office.

kevin

Good one....

we surrendered for cash.....

got to keep my pants on though...

It is hard to have a conversation with the French without thinking about all of those jokes.......

Wow, I'm gone for a couple of days and I miss a huge interesting thread. I graduated from University of Utah with a degree in geography and went into the Navy. I'm a pilot, mostly search and rescue helicopters, but some fixed-wing also. It's a great job, but the deployments are rough on the family. I love to fly so it's hard to beat a job that pays me to fly.

My ops mgr turned down the COO position at KLA for the same reasons. Leads for design firms?

I'm an International Strategic Accounts Manager for a semiconductor lighting company in San Jose (a former Hewlett Packard division). I bascially manage the sales and marketing of the companies display and automotive business.

Our most visible products are the LED Traffic Signals you see at your local intersections and the LED tail lamps, center high mount stop light, and turn markers on automobiles. I manage both of these businesses.

I have a B.S. in Business Management from Saint Mary's College with a minor in Adverstising. I put myself through college by playing guitar and keyboards in a local San Francisco bay area rock band for 5 years. (man....those were the rock and roll days!)

My company's business has been booming 40% annual growth since 2000. And we have only added manufacturing people, here in San Jose and in Malaysia. No help for the Sales and Marketing guys.

Am I happy with my job?.......NO.....

Over the last 16 months due to the nature of my job, most of the customer base and designs are now in Asia. As my job is a hybrid of a technical marketing / sales, I now live at least 7 days out of each 4 weeks in Asia. And for the past 6 months it has been 3 weeks out of every 8 weeks.

As I am now 44 and the last of 4 kids are getting ready for college, I find no satisfaction in being away from my wife, family and friends for the amount of time required for my job. Add in my boss (VP of S&M, aptly named) is a royal pain, and it's time for a new job.

The one downside to leaving is that I have 7 weeks vacation a year, I love my co-workers, and the job itself is interesting. The pay itself is really good, allowing me the luxury of building the 914-6 race car I am now. But looking forward, I won't be around much to drive it so after it's done sometime after the New Year and paid for, I will step off the Boeing 747 and stop the travel, hopefully find something more agreeable to my personal desires of wife, family and friends, and enjoy life more than I have for the past couple of years.

It's not a bleeding heart story, but I imagine several of us are in the same boat. In recent years of chosen money (well...4 kids for college... ) but it's now time to chose my personal desires.

I actually leave today for a 3 week trip to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. I don't get back till right before Thanksgiving. And that makes me sad. But on the bright side, the new car will be done in the first part of next year and I will hopefully be doing something I find enjoyable and I'll be home.

Bill P.

BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

I haven't had a real job since graduating. I have flown for the last 16 years. Currently flying the F-15 Eagle at Otis ANGB on Cape Cod--protecting New York and Boston from harm! Lot's of fun. I still can't believe I get paid for it.

Interesting post. Damn good idea.

I'm a mechanical engineer. I've worked in the automotive industry for the past 8 years making steering shafts for Chrysler and Ford and until recently developed and manufactured engine and vehicle speed sensors for Siemens VDO automotive. Yes that VDO you see on your gauges. Now I make subminiature two axis accelerometer and two axis rate sensors used in autonomous vehicles like missles. There's fun work like blowing tons (10-100 million) of other people's money to develop products and processes. Then there's checking prints, dealing with other engineers that don't want to play nice in the sandbox, flying to the customer on twenty minutes notice to explain why the VP's wife's PT cruiser left her walking home and what you'll have done yesterday to ensure that it NEVER NEVER happens again, working christmas eve to get a shipment of prototype sensors shipped to fit to their latest prototype motor because of someone else's mistake (what goes around comes around) etc etc etc.

Bottom line. If I was 18 again and I wanted to make a career of working in the automotive industry I'd enroll in a University that has a competative Formula SAE team. It is commonplace for seniors, especially team captains, to get job offers on the spot by the judges at the Formula SAE competition. BTW the judges are all automotive engineers and engineering managers. Make sure you join the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) as a student and be active. Check out www.sae.org. Run for office, organize stuff, and do what it takes on the Formula SAE team (even if that's sweeping the floor). The closer you are to Detroit the better your odds are of getting a fun design job. If you would like to design ATV's and dirt bikes instead check out the Mini Baja competition. Again it is common for seniors of competative teams to get job offers on the spot during the competition.

One final thing. Notice how many times competative or competition appears in the paragraph above. It's no secret cars are fun. Lots of people want to design cars for a living. It's a supply and demand thing. You need to get decent grades, you need "people skills" (this really means you have to be able to look some one in the eye and tell them they are the biggest asshole you have ever come across and wouldn't do them the favor of pissing on them if they were on fire and have them thank you), and you need to develop a reputation for being honest, dependable, and able to get the job done.

Good luck.

Kelly

WTG Guys! Engineers, Pilots, Tech heads out the waazooo... heroic military doods....

I count can tabs, at an aluminum can tab sorting facility.




M

I have a music degree, and a couple of unfinished others, one in EE.

What you need to do is get interested in something special, that rich people love to collect. Become an expert, and sell them stuff.

Then, you can sit here all day, and just screw around.



M

BS Engineering from USAF Academy, 1973. 22 years active duty as "weapons controller" in ground radars, AWACS (2000 hrs), Navy E-2C Hawkeye (900 hrs), then some flight test work at Boeing. Hung up the gloves in '95.

Now working as "info systems engineer" trying to apply DoD architecture framework to AF planning process. It's not flying, and it's not the Service, but it's not bad and it helps keep the boys in college.

Wife.gov says I used to be a man of action, but now I'm just an old geek (with a 914!!).

BTW, the Naval Aviator (above) is right--GREAT flying, but the deployments can kill the family. I was at sea over 350 days in my first 15 months flying with those guys . . . Best friend just completed command tour with E-2 squadron, roughly 14 years sea duty in his last 20.

Best,

Steve A-

I love hearing that. UCI has a decent FSAE team and Im in the process right now of getting on the team as a second year. I seriously cant wait!!! I'll be sure to use some 914 parts on the car .

Hey Deano, Pam, and Lawrence- we'll have to get together sometime. I'm in Mason City and get to DM every few months.

I'm currently a co-owner of a wholesale counterop business. I fabricate custom laminate and solid surface
(corian) tops. I'm selling out at the end of the year- so I'm looking for a change. It seems like I have to re-invent
myself every several years. I've got a couple 2 year degrees, I'm a Medical Lab Tech, I'm a bodyman and painter, I've got a few years of car sales, etc.... I could go on- but you get the idea! Just trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up!


rezron

Nemo wins coolest job hands down. It doesn't matter what any of the rest of us do. When Nemo shows up, he is the man.

I like my job, but it's a steady 1g. all day long.

-Ben M.

I hope if Nemo sees John Kerry off Cape Cod sailing, he goes down real low to wave at him for me.




M

Hey, Redshift, you guys won...cool your conservative jets...

I'm just a glorified heavy equipment operator! While my job might fall into the "cool" category, it doesn't compare to our young men and women who are overseas doing the tough work. I just hope we can get them all home soon!

Our re-elected president likes to hang out just north of us in Kennebunkport. We do combat patrols over him whenever he heads there for R&R. Nothing like following Air Force One as it takes off and flies him back to D.C.!

Love this site. I have learned a lot from all you 914 gurus. Keep it up. Many of these cars are the same age as the Eagle! We gotta keep em flying!

NEMO

Nice shot Nemo- thanks for the wallpaper! Keep up the great work! I hope it goes without saying that all of us on the BBS support you and all the troops "over there".

Tom Trudell
LCDR/USN (Ret)
ex E-2C NFO too!

Education: BA MArketing Management (graduated in May from the University of St. Thomas in MN)

Current Job: Selling cars at the local Porsche/Audi dealer where I have worked since high school

Like it? Ask me in a couple months...

I agree with those club members who are astonished by the breadth of talent and experience displayed within our group! My BA is in psychology but my work history was in a somewhat different area; I say "was" because I'm medically retired and I am by no means, a computer "geek". After 20+ years (and two damaged knees) I had to leave the service of the state of California. I had begun late in 1979, working for the California Youth Authority; I worked with what the state calls "youthful offenders" in a correctional facility (think "prison", lacking only the gun towers). The place was the largest facility of its kind in the state. It was originally named the Youth Training School (YTS); some referred to it as "Young Thug School" or "Young Tough Shits"! It was often hard to think of these young men, most of whom were in their 20's (and one of them I watched bench-press over 500 lbs), as "youthful" offenders but that is what the law calls them! After a few years, I decided to move on as did most of these youthful offenders (at least the ones who weren't killed when they returned to their "hoods"), to the Department of Corrections. In 1985 I was promoted to a position as a Correctional Counselor (sort of an institutional parole agent) at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo. I had previously gone to several job interviews at places such as Soledad and Susanville and was even scheduled to go to San Quentin for an interview but a scheduled execution pre-empted all such activity and I never got to go there. Later I moved on to the Southern California Maximum Security Complex in Tehachapi. Eventually, I too, was "released" to the streets and worked in Long Beach as a Parole Agent for about a dozen years; my last two years were spent mostly at LA County Jail, working the Parole Revocation Unit. When I went to work for the Department of Corrections in '85, there were 13 prisons in California; when I retired in 2000, that number had grown to 33!!! I didn't always like the work, but one thing was certain, you never knew what to expect when you left for work! I met a lot of crazy people during my career and many of them were cops! Thank God they were on my side!
I think a college education is like a crash helmet: you man never need it...but if you ever do and don't have one...!

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) in Montreal, 1992.

It took a while to graduate because I was already working in engineering since my second year of University. Taking afternoon and mostly night courses took longer but it was well worth it.

I worked for Bionaire (later called Rival) as R&D lab engineer for over 6 years, doing small room air cleaners and humidifiers.

Then I moved to Bombardier Transportation, global leader in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry, where I’ve been for over 5 years.

You probably know the name Bombardier from the other divisions: Aerospace (airplanes), Recreational (Sea Doo, Ski Doo, ATV, etc...) which was actually sold last year.

I started there as Lead Technical Writer.
I then moved to Supplier Quality Assurance, and as of April we’ve been transferred under Supply Management to be called Supply Base Management Engineers.
Work used to be more interesting when we were busier, right now it’s kind of slow since there are not many new trains being sold in North America.
Money is decent although it used to be better before all the cut backs.
Don’t know if I’ll be here much longer, but it the mean time it’ll do.

That’s the good thing about being an engineer, we’re very versatile and can do almost anything.

AAS in Administration of Criminal Justice
BS in Criminal Justice
2000+ hours related job training

10 years active duty military followed by 13 years of drilling reserve SELRES
retiring in Sep 05 (account frozen until age 60 )

13 years State Law Enforcement Officer (4 patrol, 4 canine , 4 mid-level super)

I work 14 days a month (12 hour days) off every other weekend for three days,
state pays all my insurances/retirement. (retirement pay starts at age 52 or can
freeze account until then if I leave)

Pay decent, benefits decent, work ok sometimes not so ok others.

If I had it all to do over I would have been a Fireman for a large department.

Side job - own and manage 6 rental house's for spending money/retirement.

For all you pilots out there, I solo'ed on my 16th birthday and took my private
check ride and passed on my 17th birthday, flying for fun ever since.

How did I miss this thread?!?!?! Lotta talent here.

Apparently I'm in the minority (of those that spoke up anyway) with Rick and Bruce.

Nice quote Rick!

Dropped out of HS when I was 17. Realized later what a dumb move that was and corrected the situation. Maybe a year of community college. It's been so long ago now that I can't remember. I'll spare you the litany of jobs I've had. Especially in the early days. One year there was 13 W2's. And a nasty attitude. I should have stayed in the Navy. But that's another tale... In the late 80's, like Scott, I realized that I had an aptitude for computers and started focusing my attention in that area. In 93 I took a Unix SysAdmin that no one else wanted. I've been plugging away at it ever since. Decent money, I love the work, but the job sucks. I need to get back to a small shop again and away from the corporate bs. Money isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Finish school. Get it out of the way now while you're young and accustomed to making peanuts for income. I'll repeat what has already been said here, you can do lots of different things from there regardless of the degree.