Digger
Well-Known Member
With so many restrictions on most of, us discussion is getting a bit slow so perhaps something to discuss is what we’ve done for a living, or what we are still doing for a living. Get to know each other a bit better maybe? I’ll start.
My first job was with a local Bayside hardware store and I started in general builders hardware and worked my way “upstairs” to appliances. Back in 1967 that involved briquette solid fuel heaters and accessories....Grin~
Later that year I was conscripted and went into the army for 2 1/2 years.
After a short stint back with the hardware I managed to get a job as a sales representative with an appliance manufacturer and spent much of my time in rural areas away most of 3 weeks out of 4.
Over the years I had a variety of reps jobs with different manufacturers selling a lot of things but I couldn’t ever settle, staying perhaps 1 to 2 years and getting bored once it was working best it could. Apparently this can be typical of Vietnam veterans? I seldom had to look for a new position as I was mostly headhunted by other companies. I had 16 jobs during my working years.
As time went on my positions shifted more to sales management and then management.
Along the way I sold hot water systems, toilet cisterns, solid fuel cookers and heaters, electric stoves, refrigerators (Kelvinator), advanced locking systems (for goals/jails), automatic door openers, room air conditioners, small appliance Mgr. (Pye) That job involved hiring training and organising a team of female demonstrators in major department stores. (That could be fun at times I can tell you) I worked for Pye through the release of colour TV here and that was an interesting time.
In the 90’s I snagged my dream job working for a manufacturer in NSW that made a range of CB radios and communications equipment. That also involved a division that marketed marine electronics. My hobby was radio communications, both CB and Ham radio so this suited me well.
I was there 6 years this time, longest ever! Because of my radio knowledge I was promoted and allowed to have a lot of input into new products. I could have moved to Sydney to manage the radio division but had too many ties where we were to take that opportunity. It was great until I developed chronic asthma which saw me in hospital for weeks and in the end I was too crook to keep working.
HAVE YOU FALLEN ASLEEP YET?
After some recovery I started with one of my retailers and spent the next few years building our place in the field of remote area communications for people travelling and working in the outback. Much of this involved High Frequency radio with access to the Royal Flying Doctor network. Along the way we, the owner and I, snagged the distribution rights to the Aussie brand of Codan which was a world leader in synthesised HF radio equipment. (You see those big chunky antenna systems on military and UN vehicles...they were the ones) That took me back into wholesaling again as well as retail. We set up and supported a distribution network around Victoria and in Tasmania. I ended up running training courses in HF radio, as HF atmospheric radio wave propagation needs to be understood to use this equipment properly. I did talks for 4WD spanning a weekend once a year and sometimes attracting 300 or so people in respect of the Toyota 4WD club, at least. We would teach them about their radios, installation, antennas etc. I trained some military, university field staff, ABC outdoors production units and hundreds of private people wanting to travel into remote areas.
I did talks for 4WD spanning a weekend once a year and usually attracting 300 or so people in respect of the Toyota 4WD club, at least. We would teach them about their radios, installation, antennas etc.
Over the years I had a period selling real estate and studied at nights gaining all but 2 subjects needed to open my own real estate business (2/16) but working 7 days a week and studying for at least 4 nights was hard on a new relationship and I pulled out eventually and went back to a regular job.
I left the retail communications company to move to the country after 7 years and was shortly after put on a TPI pension by DVA, the highest disability level they have and I haven’t had a job since.
That was 20 years ago and before I was forced to retire we ran a primary production business on the property growing mainly gum leaf foliage for the florist industry wholesale. Once I was made TPI I dropped out as I wasn’t allowed to work for other than pocket money and Gael continued on supplying local florists until arthritis in her hands put paid to that as well.
So you can see that I’ve had a variety of occupations, many challenging but mostly all interesting.
I count myself lucky for that.
Anyone else?
My first job was with a local Bayside hardware store and I started in general builders hardware and worked my way “upstairs” to appliances. Back in 1967 that involved briquette solid fuel heaters and accessories....Grin~
Later that year I was conscripted and went into the army for 2 1/2 years.
After a short stint back with the hardware I managed to get a job as a sales representative with an appliance manufacturer and spent much of my time in rural areas away most of 3 weeks out of 4.
Over the years I had a variety of reps jobs with different manufacturers selling a lot of things but I couldn’t ever settle, staying perhaps 1 to 2 years and getting bored once it was working best it could. Apparently this can be typical of Vietnam veterans? I seldom had to look for a new position as I was mostly headhunted by other companies. I had 16 jobs during my working years.
As time went on my positions shifted more to sales management and then management.
Along the way I sold hot water systems, toilet cisterns, solid fuel cookers and heaters, electric stoves, refrigerators (Kelvinator), advanced locking systems (for goals/jails), automatic door openers, room air conditioners, small appliance Mgr. (Pye) That job involved hiring training and organising a team of female demonstrators in major department stores. (That could be fun at times I can tell you) I worked for Pye through the release of colour TV here and that was an interesting time.
In the 90’s I snagged my dream job working for a manufacturer in NSW that made a range of CB radios and communications equipment. That also involved a division that marketed marine electronics. My hobby was radio communications, both CB and Ham radio so this suited me well.
I was there 6 years this time, longest ever! Because of my radio knowledge I was promoted and allowed to have a lot of input into new products. I could have moved to Sydney to manage the radio division but had too many ties where we were to take that opportunity. It was great until I developed chronic asthma which saw me in hospital for weeks and in the end I was too crook to keep working.
HAVE YOU FALLEN ASLEEP YET?
After some recovery I started with one of my retailers and spent the next few years building our place in the field of remote area communications for people travelling and working in the outback. Much of this involved High Frequency radio with access to the Royal Flying Doctor network. Along the way we, the owner and I, snagged the distribution rights to the Aussie brand of Codan which was a world leader in synthesised HF radio equipment. (You see those big chunky antenna systems on military and UN vehicles...they were the ones) That took me back into wholesaling again as well as retail. We set up and supported a distribution network around Victoria and in Tasmania. I ended up running training courses in HF radio, as HF atmospheric radio wave propagation needs to be understood to use this equipment properly. I did talks for 4WD spanning a weekend once a year and sometimes attracting 300 or so people in respect of the Toyota 4WD club, at least. We would teach them about their radios, installation, antennas etc. I trained some military, university field staff, ABC outdoors production units and hundreds of private people wanting to travel into remote areas.
I did talks for 4WD spanning a weekend once a year and usually attracting 300 or so people in respect of the Toyota 4WD club, at least. We would teach them about their radios, installation, antennas etc.
Over the years I had a period selling real estate and studied at nights gaining all but 2 subjects needed to open my own real estate business (2/16) but working 7 days a week and studying for at least 4 nights was hard on a new relationship and I pulled out eventually and went back to a regular job.
I left the retail communications company to move to the country after 7 years and was shortly after put on a TPI pension by DVA, the highest disability level they have and I haven’t had a job since.
That was 20 years ago and before I was forced to retire we ran a primary production business on the property growing mainly gum leaf foliage for the florist industry wholesale. Once I was made TPI I dropped out as I wasn’t allowed to work for other than pocket money and Gael continued on supplying local florists until arthritis in her hands put paid to that as well.
So you can see that I’ve had a variety of occupations, many challenging but mostly all interesting.
I count myself lucky for that.
Anyone else?
