As promised, I’ve brought this post to the top.
On June 1st, I asked our readers the question – “What is your primary occupation?”
(Physicist and engineer) Ed Minchau collated the 633 responses as of 1:46 am, June 3rd. Do read the whole thread – many of our readers have multiple or specialized fields of expertise that general categories don’t quite do justice to.
engineers: 61
computer programmers/consultants/systems analysts: 47
management: 46
military: 36
educators: 31
scientists: 28
small business: 28
technicians/technologists: 27
accountants/bookkeepers/economists/taxation/insurance: 24
construction/electricians/plumbers/carpenters/contractors: 23
financiers/brokers/bankers: 21
farmer/rancher/cowboy/agriculture/veterinary: 19
stay-at-home parents: 18
consultants: 18
sales: 16
pilots/air traffic control: 15
lawyers/legal assistants/advocates: 14
doctors/nurses/healthcare: 14
pastors/priests/missionaries/social workers/psychologists/counselors: 13
civil servants: 12
artists/musicians/photographers: 12
manufacturing/machinists: 10
writers/journalists/reporters: 10
police/corrections/security/investigation: 8
students: 8
truckers/railroad workers: 8
statisticians/actuaries/data analysts/librarians: 8
architects/draftsmen/urban planners: 8
radio/television/telecom: 7
mechanics/heavy equipment operators: 6
oil workers: 6
real estate: 4
forestry: 3
purchasing/logistics/warehousing: 3
secretary/administrative assistant:3
quality assurance: 2
map maker/surveyor: 2
human resources: 2
other: 12
total: 633 (ignored obvious duplicate entries, general comments)
Oh, and … whorehouse piano players (aspiring or claiming to be): 10
piano teachers (listed under educators): 2
Responses are still trickling in.
Thanks to everyone who participated. To quote (air traffic controller) “Yukon Gold” – “Boy, what a bunch of highly-educated, highly learned and experienced bunch of mouth-breathing knuckle draggers we are.”
And to think – we do it all in our pajamas!
Note – submissions are still welcome, but please refrain from using this thread to chatter about the survey. If you wish to discuss the survey, please do so here.
Original post continues below:
About 18 months ago, I asked readers to share their ages in a dedicated comments thread, in response to yet another media portrayal of blog readers as “tech savvy twenty-somethings”. As it turned out, around here the “tech savvy” includes a lot more 40, 50 and 60 year olds than most people would have guessed.
Today, I have a different question: What is your primary occupation? (or occupation prior to retirement). No need to provide extensive information, just a quick job title (eg. in my case, “freelance commercial artist”.)
I already know you encompass a pretty wide field of expertise, based on some of the discussions here. I think it would be interesting to find out just how wide it is.
I’d like to encourage those who are regular readers but who don’t typically comment to participate in this one. You aren’t required to provide a name or valid email address.
Electrical engineer.
In the big bad business of having a small O&G co. Thinking of starting a CO2 disposal company.
56
Freelance Project Manager/Systems Modeller
Journalist/photographer. 43.
Fred Gavin – Male Prostitute
cause it’s less hassle than confessing I’m a Sea King technician in my 27th year in the air force!
62. Retired, formerly a manager in the civil service.
Retired teacher and farm wife
Retired teacher and farm wife
Licenced Green Housekeeping consultant/sales
Retired long distance trucker
Software Engineering
Air Traffic Controller – 29 years old
Just a gigolo
Everywhere I go
People talk about me.
Well ok without getting too specific I work in a auto parts manufacturing plant.
Retired, former Network Administrator, high school biology & comp. sci. teacher
Retired physicist
Mechanical Engineer
Professional Engineer (Civil). Age: mid-40’s.
And, if you want to ask at any point in the future, a WASP (but I sting like a bee…and float like a butterfly).
High school science teacher
Professional Engineer working in the US.
Newspaper photographer, but someday I hope to mop the floor at the whore house, and then I can hold my head high.
Age…41
Communications executive
40 years old
jack of all building trades.
Ph.D. – Organic Chemistry
High school science teacher
Evangelist and missionary
keep up the good work
Occupational Health and Safety Specialist
35 years old
Financial Advisor, 43
I am a student teacher now but I was a buyer for a furniture company for the last 20 years…
Great blog you have here
Mike
I am a student teacher now but I was a buyer for a furniture company for the last 20 years…
Great blog you have here
Mike
Geologist/university technician/electron microscopist
Real Estate Appraiser
I missed the first question — not sure how, as I’ve been reading SDA almost daily for over three years now. So, FWIW: 34.
Female, Semi-retired: market research, public relations and advertising agency management for more than 25 years. Included several years in provincial government public affairs and corporate crisis management specialization.
Politically: Former women’s caucus communications director for a now defunct national political party before I ripped up my PC card having seen the backroom ugly underbelly of the old style parties. Served on several riding executives. Spouse of a former provincial MLA.
Active volunteer with not for profit organizations focussing on seniors and the disabled. Age: Mid 50’s.
69-
retired nurse R.N–28YR Of service
VP Sales – Cutting Tools
Former CF Officer, now self-employed independent financial consultant.
I really enjoy your site, Kate. Keep up the fine work.
Electrical & Computer Engineering instructor. Born in ’54.
4th year computer science student
Missed the age survey, so I’m 17. (Uh, long story.)
26yrs Canadian Military retired.
Now a Firefighter.
Hoping to live to the age of 110 and shot by a Jealous 25yr old husband.
Software developer and system administrator.
Parts manager – GM Dealer
Drilling Consultant for BIG OIL!
Educated Survey Technologist & Geomatics Engineer
Student of Life.
Age: 38
Professional Engineer
Manager, Research and development in a seismic processing firm. Entails a lot of programming and math.
Age: 50
Back to add more info.
Age: 47
Arrived in Canada: 1995
Old home country: Romania (Eastern Europe)
New home country: Similar in some respects with my old one. Same complex of inferiority towards more dynamic, influential and assertive culture(s). Same tendency to bask in mediocrity and blandness, same paternalistic intellectual elites on the same mission to organize society by virtue of self-appointing themselves as the progressive (in my old country it was called ‘revolutionary’) conscience of the nation.
51 Retired, former salesman.
I LOVE this blog. Never comment, but I stop by several times a day. One could say I am an SDA addict :). Thanks Kate!
Strategy Consultant
Occupation: Software consulant
Sidelines: vacuum repair
Age: 32
Retired Psychologist
age:61.. retired investment advisor..
Professional Engineer (manufacturing) & amateur barista extraordinaire.
Hey, Truthsayer – I’m an avid coffee roaster; you can’t beat India Monsoon Malabar, medium roast for #1 kick-@ss espresso: thick, rich crema that looks like Guiness when you pull the shot!
mhb23re
at gmail d0t calm