Used to be a university lecturer in the UK, fled to Hong Kong in 1984 as an economic refugee from Mrs Thatcher, then managed to negotiate early retirement from there in 1997 and came to live in New Zealand for the trout fishing, oh and the railway modelling of course. Brian

Im a Quantity Surveyor for a multi-national construction firm, currently working on a Leisure Centre project.

40 years with the same independent garage starting with "petrol pump attendant" (kerbside fuel pumps, we pumped, no canopy - got "really wet" when it rained - can you check my oil and water please - gee, thanks) and onward through tyre fitter, parts department advisor,  mechanic, forecourt manager, MOT tester and MOT Quality Controller, to Service Manager and Aftersales Manager with Accounts Control chucked in. Acquired Vauxhall, Renault, Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge and Proton franchises along the way. Throw in the IT control - Network Management, Hardware Management, Web-Site Management, Email Management and Advertising Artwork Design and I had covered every aspect of the company's Aftersales operation (couldn't manage Sales, couldn't lie convincingly!)

A bout of pneumonia earlier this year made me realise I was killing myself for the company's benefit. Still struggling with health and so took early retirement and a move to peaceful Mid-Wales where I've sent the (much younger) wife out to work as head of music at the local High School.

Should have done it years ago. Now got a dedicated layout room - once I've redecorated to everyones satisfaction!

To paraphrase Derek Trotter - A year from now I'll be like a pig in s*^t!

A true Welsh Gentleman , and an asset to the forum. I just wish that some of the youths in the UK would take after your excellent work ethic.
Im sorry to hear about your pneumonia episode, and I wish you a speedy recovery.(modelling N' Gauge does help)

Please keep us posted on your new layout room, and if ever you need a stranger to talk to please PM me, (im not a doctor, but sometimes a strangers words can make the day all the better )

All the best

OwL

Well I started out as an apprentice sparky. got made redundant self employed consultancy until I got a job as a Train Guard-conductor grade. Moved up to Train Manager then down to non commercial Guard all through choice. and now? TRAIN DRIVER

Quote from: driverg on August 27, 2011, 08:47:38 PM
Well I started out as an apprentice sparky. got made redundant self employed consultancy until I got a job as a Train Guard-conductor grade. Moved up to Train Manager then down to non commercial Guard all through choice. and now? TRAIN DRIVER

Hmmm - there seems to be a sort of commonality here -electrickery and trains. What line do you pilot on?

L&SWR

If you'd asked me this six months ago I'd have said "Assistant Management Accountant".

However, since then the dirty scumbag place I worked for decided to make all four assistant accountants redundant then make them re-apply for their OWN JOBS !!  So I told them where to stick their job, took redundancy and can currently be found driving one of these:-






Paul

Very nice Sprintex!  Sorry to hear about the accountancy job.  Is that not illegal to do that? 

Quote from: Tank on August 29, 2011, 09:50:20 AM
Very nice Sprintex!  Sorry to hear about the accountancy job.  Is that not illegal to do that? 

That is most people's perception but so many companies are doing it now. The worst case I had first hand experience of was a MIdlands hospital doing just that to 100's of staff (which included my wife of the time). Those who failed to apply for their own job were put into a 'pool' and made to do anything the hospital wanted or to get out.

Quote from: Tank on August 29, 2011, 09:50:20 AM
Very nice Sprintex!  Sorry to hear about the accountancy job.  Is that not illegal to do that? 

What does illegal have to do with it, the question a lot of these big companies ask is "Will I get caught, is it cheaper to take the risk anyway ?", and non-union generally means "disposable"

Very true!  They employ their own lawyers who know the rules better than the judges.

Quote from: EtchedPixels on August 29, 2011, 11:29:20 AM

Quote from: Tank on August 29, 2011, 09:50:20 AM
Very nice Sprintex!  Sorry to hear about the accountancy job.  Is that not illegal to do that? 

What does illegal have to do with it, the question a lot of these big companies ask is "Will I get caught, is it cheaper to take the risk anyway ?", and non-union generally means "disposable"

Sadly that seems to be the way of it these days with an big-ish organisation. If you play by the rules it seems you're in the minority 

It's not illegal if they can prove that your job description has changed 'appreciably' from the one you had when you started. Of course 'appreciably' is not quantifiable so would be very hard to disprove in a tribunal - this is what the employers play on 

In my case yes they had changed the job description by adding two extra tasks/duties - hardly a major change but enough for me to tell them to stuff it where the sun don't shine!! 


Paul

I'm currently security manager and head doorman at a caravan site in bognor that caters for alot of londoners and a few "as you likies" I used to be Involved in large scale event security managing a hundred or so bods in muddy fields all round the country, the change to a 5 man team has taken some getting used to,

when i left school all i wanted to do was join the fleet air arm (royal navy) like my dad, but living in damp Married quaters all my life meant my childhood was nothing but asthma and chest infections,,,,,,,, dream ruined,,,,,,