Keith Browning Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 When I was a kid I wanted to become a baker. How the HELL did I end up here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmorris Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I here ya. I was going to get into carpentry or computers. Although I know where my path changed. The carpentry course in high school was full and I took the wrong computer course, in the end I took Automotives instead. IDIOT...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I was going to be an architect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 I was a carpenter for 6 years....I make more money doing this! Started going to the local community college after HS and was going to be an accountant....My buddy is an accountant now, and makes at least double what I make.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 With that said, I don't think I could handle being in a cubicle all day. I do like the amount of freedom we have with our job. I am always driving a vehicle before and after repairs and I don't know of any other job that I could work at were I could drive all the latest and greatest Ford products out there. Just a small perk in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Clayton Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Speaking of work....is anybody actually working today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I did a 11-04-22 tsb today....9.1 hours plus the M-time for r&r of the rack in order to remove the cab.....took approx. 4 hours to complete.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Saunoras Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I started out taking basic classes at community college then planned to transfer to pitt for engineering. Never made it past calc II, started the asset program and the rest is history I don't remember what I wanted to be when I was a kid, hell most of you would still consider me a kid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredsvt Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Went to college for drafting and design. I was pretty good with CAD, but the basic hand drawing I needed help. The professor I had screamed, swore and berated me about how bad a job I did. I quit that and went to the automotive program. Looking back, I should have listened to my mother, who wanted me to go to work for the town at any low paying job. I could have moved up through the system and been retired now, with lifetime pension and healthcare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregH Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I finished high school and went on to college. Worked towards a degree in industrial technology - this area of the country does a lot of manufacturing, and this degree would get me a white shirt instead of a blue shirt. First choice was NASA after college, though. Got into trouble at college and was asked to leave. Spent some time rent free courtesy of the state. The only place that would hire me once I was back in the workforce was Wal-Mart. They originally placed me in sporting goods, but they didn't really read all of the application. I had to answer that one question "yes" per my parole officer and therefore cannot be within a certain distance of a firearm. The only other place in the store with an opening was in the oil change shop. I got turned down for many, many jobs outside of the automotive field when I filled out my applications honestly. However, I didn't want to get a job under false pretenses, lest something show up down the road... Now it's been longer than seven years (much longer) so most jobs are open to me again. Won't ever be able to vote or own a firearm... It's almost like a splinter in your finger that is too small to see, but catches on things now and then... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 My Dad was a career soldier and he was always planning on me joining the military... I was going to be Air Force... I was going to fly me some jets..... And then we moved... and then we moved again... and then we moved again... and we moved a few more times... through my early teens, we moved pretty much once a year... and not just across town.. My eyesight went for a shit and I became the boy you didn't want your sister dating... After I bought my first car, I discovered my lifestyle left no money for car repairs... the rest, as they say, is history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaysonfordtech Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 I got the car bug at 15 and decided that was the only thing I wanted to do for a living. A trade was the only way out of the hood and the poverty I grew up in. I went to tech school. I spent 10 years bending wrenches at the dealers, who treated me as good as a guy could ask for. Ford was good to me and allowed me to get a lot of training and sent me on trips and sent countless atta-boys. I found that my body would not hold up for another 20 years and decided to go back to school. I got to be a service advisor for about 2 years and learned how the other side of the desk works. I am just about to finish up my bachelor’s degree in financial economics this December. I still keep up with the field as much as I can and enjoy reading broadcast messages a few times a week, check out automotive news every day, and drop by here regularly. I still have love for the industry, and miss it a bit. Take care of yourselves guys, you only get one body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbudge Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Started fixing snowmobiles and motorcycles probably around when I was twelve years old. If you wanted to ride, you had to fix. Did a couple of really crappy jobs before I turned 18 (ever work in a foundry? It makes a really hot day in the shop here seem like a piece of cake). Started working at a Ford dealer in 1982, changed stores but have been under the Blue Oval ever since. In hindsight, the trade has treated me well, with lots of perks from FoMoCo throughout the years. Lately, however, the way things have tightened up can wear a guy down. My first priority has always been a proper and complete repair, now it is all about cost caps and grinding for time. I tell all of the young guys that come through here to go to school and get a complete education first, as they will let anyone be a mechanic. My son will be sixteen soon, and of course is interested in cars and trucks. I got a Merkur XR4Ti for us to play with, just to be different. However, I have made it clear to him that if you want to play with cars, that is fine, but do not turn your hobby into a job. Get the education required to get a job that will allow you to be able to afford your hobby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Meanwrench Posted July 8, 2011 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I started working on cars and construction equipment at age 12 by following my dad around. He was a chevy dealership tech for 20 years before moving over to heavy shit. I went to our local BOCES for Heavy Equipment repair for a couple of years to find out that I liked the light duty shit. I have been doing ambulances for about 15 years and my body is telling me to find another line of work. There is a program in a local state college that allows you to earn a Bachelor's in vocational education in two years by demonstrating your expertise in your profession. I would LOVE to teach automotive classes! I'm only a couple weeks in, I have my practical exam coming up in a couple weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deezul Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 My parents always wanted me to go to university but I had a hard time finding anything that I was overly interested in, all I knew is I wanted to do something with my hands, no desk job for me. I was always interested in cooking and wanted to be a chef, performed a co-op position with my high school and quickly learned that cooking is fun but, not as a career. My next venture was tool and die maker, I loved machine shop and was fairly decent at it. Attended college for the first semester, on day one the instructor told us that "We better love living in Mexico and China because jobs rarely exist in Canada for us". The program was terrible and I had developed sinus issues after long exposure to cutting fluid smoke. So..after one semester of that program I decided I would resort to my past time hobby and attempt to make it a career. Four years later and a licence and so far so good. This isn't a career that will last my life time but on days it can be satisfying, my dealership treats me well and the pay isn't terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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