AFTER LEAVING BETHEL I TOOK A MEAT CUTTING COURSE BY MAIL BUT IT DIDN'T WORK OUT TOO WELL. THE POSTMAN HAD TROUBLE STUFFING THE BLOODY SLABS OF BEEF THROUGH THE MAIL SLOT IN MY FRONT DOOR. THEN I USED MY FACTORY EXPERIENCE TO GET A JOB AT A SHOE MANUFACTURER WHERE I WAS PUT IN CHARGE OF GLUING THOSE LITTLE CELLULOID TIPS ONTO THE ENDS OF SHOE LACES.
BUT SERIOUSLY....
I AM A PROJECT MANAGER AND DEVELOPMENT INSPECTOR FOR A MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT OVERSEEING AND INSPECTING MUNICIPAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS RANGING FROM PUBLIC TRANSIT CENTERS, PARKS, RECONSTRUCTION OF STREETS, INSTALLATIONS OF UTILITIES, SIDEWALKS, TRAFFIC SIGNALS ETC. MY DUTIES ALSO INCLUDE ISSUING OF PERMITS, CODE ENFORCEMENT, OBTAINING GRANTS...BLAH BLAH...
NORMALLY YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BACHELORS DEGREE TO GET THIS JOB BUT I WAS ABLE TO COMBINE CERTAIN CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES I HOLD ALONG WITH TRAINING, PAST EXPERIENCE AND A LITTLE CREATIVE RESUME WRITING TO SQUEEK MYSELF INTO AN INTERVIEW. THEY HIRED ME BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I COULD DO THE JOB OF COURSE BUT MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WOULD BE A GOOD FIT WITH THE DEPARTMENT. I HAVE TO CREDIT THE DOOR TO DOOR WORK AND MINISTRY SCHOOL FOR HELPING ME DO WELL IN INTERVIEWS. (AT LEAST I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW FOR ALL THOSE YEARS)
I HAD JUST LEFT THE ORGANIZATION, WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF REMODELING MY HOUSE AND MY SON WAS GOING THROUGH CHEMOTHERAPY WHEN I GOT THE JOB. I THOUGHT IF I COULD JUST MAKE IT THROUGH ALL OF THIS TURMOIL AT HOME AND LEARN THIS JOB I CAN DO ANYTHING. THEN THE ECONOMY TANKED. BEING THE NEW GUY I WAS LIVING WEEK TO WEEK...THEN MONTH TO MONTH THINKING IF I CAN JUST MAKE IT TO THE ONE YEAR MARK WITHOUT GETTING LAID OFF, I'LL BE OK. NOWADAYS I'M LOOKING AT THE UPCOMMING FIVE YEAR MARK AS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.