Volvo 740 Trivia.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

That was the thing Jon - back then we were the best at manufacturing. We led the world in technological innovation and umpteen other areas but, as had previously happened so many times, anything new that was developed here had scorn poured upon it and the inventors then took their ideas elsewhere.

At least Volvo had the sense to Buy British and it shows with how many 70s, 80s and 90s Volvos still around.

My late Father was an engineer Dave, and he too lamented the loss of our engineering/manufacturing sector. I had cause to visit a hi-tech Lincolnshire facility recently, had a tour of their manufacturing and R&D - always gives me a buzz.

J.

[Laird Scooby]

At the age of 16 when i left school i went into Electrical & Electronic Engineering as i thought it was a fairly future-proof career path.
The first year of it was "off the job" broad-based training in an Engineering Training school so i have enough knowledge/skills to do almost anything.

Not only is the general loss of engineering/manufacturing here of great sadness to me but also that i chose a career path that wasn't future-proof.

Yes, it's easy to make bad decisions when you're 16 but i still think i made a pretty good one, given the options at the time. However, with my time over again, i would have played things slightly differently and gone straight into auto-electrical work, instead of adding that particular string to my bow later.

That said, if i hadn't got my apprenticeship where i did, i would have applied for an apprenticeship at one of the local main dealers and if all else failed, i had a college course lined up.

These days it's so hard to judge what would be a future-proof career that i couldn't give any youngsters advice over their chosen career path.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

These days it's so hard to judge what would be a future-proof career that i couldn't give any youngsters advice over their chosen career path.

Future-proof career always tricky.

I'm happy with the career I chose, been much fun (most of the time) and it has meant some interesting travel overseas and has given me choices in my life. If I was giving advice to youngsters (that didn't want university) I'd suggest they look at an automotive engineering career specialising in hybrid and electric vehicles.

If they had the aptitude. Or join the military - perhaps the Navy, they have hi-tech stuff to play with.

Jon.

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

At the age of 16 when i left school i went into Electrical & Electronic Engineering as i thought it was a fairly future-proof career path.
The first year of it was "off the job" broad-based training in an Engineering Training school so i have enough knowledge/skills to do almost anything.

Thats exactly how it was at RR in the '60s, 'L.S.'.

Thing is, our years in the School were longer than an entire modern apprenticeship! Yet we went on to do four more as Craft, Technician or Graduate Apprentices, depending on our performance in the School, before we were considered qualified. Even then, one normally worked with a skilled hand for a couple of years to gain experience and confidence on the job.

The training that you and I received all those years ago gave us the skills and confidence that have both stood the test of time and are still relevant today. The difference is that nowadays very few young people have the opportunity to gain them.

As modern technology, materials, methodology and so on change so rapidly and dramatically, I don't think that there can be such a thing as a 'future-proof' job today; however Jon's suggestion is a sensible one.

Regards, John.

[Prufrock]

Jobs for the future, interesting subject.

Jon.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

Thats exactly how it was at RR in the '60s, 'L.S.'.

Thing is, our years in the School were longer than an entire modern apprenticeship! Yet we went on to do four more as Craft, Technician or Graduate Apprentices, depending on our performance in the School, before we were considered qualified. Even then, one normally worked with a skilled hand for a couple of years to gain experience and confidence on the job.

The training that you and I received all those years ago gave us the skills and confidence that have both stood the test of time and are still relevant today. The difference is that nowadays very few young people have the opportunity to gain them.

As modern technology, materials, methodology and so on change so rapidly and dramatically, I don't think that there can be such a thing as a 'future-proof' job today; however Jon's suggestion is a sensible one.

Regards, John.

The bit i forgot to mention John was i was doing day-release college one day a week through that time as well, culminating with a BTEC qualification broadly equivalent to two degrees/HND level.

However about the time i finished my apprenticeship, the recession hit (late 80s/early 90s recession) so it wasn't the springboard i had hoped it would be.

I'm sure it's been the same for a lot of people who left school about the time i did as well.

[Prufrock]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Jobs for the future, interesting subject.
Jon.

Obviously with children you want to give them the best start, and they don't always want their parent's wisdom (that's if the parents have any). Assuming wise parents that might give their child some guidance then I'd suggest not studying accountancy or law - unless they are super-super bright and join one of the leading firms.

So many more jobs will be either dumbed down or automated going forward, this movement will have a greater effect in the Leave areas* - because those areas already have the kinds of jobs that are low paid and low skilled (relatively).

Creatives will be the future (I don't mean artists for example) but creative roles in organisations.

Jon.

*according to a report I've had to read.

[Stephen Edwin]

Originally Posted by Prufrock

Jobs for the future, interesting subject.

Jon.

Undertaker....

.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Stephen Edwin

Undertaker....

.

.... it's a dying trade!

[john.wigley]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

.... it's a dying trade!

..... but nonetheless worth grave consideration?