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.
truck driver 49 ex-pat in wisconsin
Siding Contractor/Heavy Equipment/Crane Operator/Service Rig Manager/Life Skills Coach/Employment Program Developer/Student.
Keep jabbing from the right Kate!
Syncro
Professional Engineer (automotive)….retired
Retired Military Army for 12 Yr Airforce 20 Yr
Journeyman Cabinetmaker.
Director of an economic analysis firm down under
44, process piping designer, Calgary.
Three ATC, and one former military controller. Wow. I’m a little shocked.
writer.
Journeyman Electrician, 29 years old.
Auto Worker (Cerberus)
I’m in retail and the entertainment business.
Retired @ 53; now 59. Enjoyed 35 yrs in telecom; last 10 as DC Power specialist/planner/designer. Consulted for a few years; now Hot Rods; Diecast collecting etc, & trying to learn to play a Blues Harp. Not good enuff for the whorehouse yet!
Love this blog, it’s an everyday ‘must read’.
Thanks Kate!!
computer technician
Software developer and electronics guru.
High school English teacher, 59, (joining, unsurprisingly, just the one other) also retired; as well, no doubt your only vegetarian (40 yrs) reader. You are my daily bread.
Med Student, Currently.
I make doors for your houses. Custom product
auditor, 59 years old, houston, texas
auditor, 59 years old, houston, texas
Oilfield directional driller, 26 years. Age 58.
Western Colorado.
I’ll confess to being a tech-savvy geek, but I’m not twenty-something.
Network architect – security specialist.
I am a Federal Inspector, used to work for the Coast Guard, now in mid 40’s.
Semi-tech savy
I am a Federal Inspector, used to work for the Coast Guard, now in mid 40’s.
Semi-tech savy
Electronic Engineering Techologist/Repaired and calibrated electronic test equipment,CNC machines,ran a standards lab. 20 yrs
Slave to a pack of the smartest dogs on this planet. 14 yrs and counting.
Christmas Tree Farmer/Sales. The export market really sucks when the dollar is high.
Pizza Delivery Driver. I get to meet a lot of new K9 friends that way.
Shade Tree Mechanic.
In my spare time I’m building a time machine. Don’t tell anyone.
Surveyor
Professor Canadian Studies, and Conversation English teacher – State University – St Petersburg, Russia Sept thru April – May thru Aug – whatever I can find to do in Canada – Currently construction – Olds AB
Accountant
Meteorologist.
22, Accountant, going for Certified Management designation
26, recent UWaterloo computer engineering grad, currently working at Microsoft in Redmond, WA, USA.
Engineer, Project Cost Estimator, former farm boy
Retired teacher, and principal, age 65.
mad in manitoba
Supply Chain Management – Mechanical Engineer with Masters of Business Administration, Age 45
Currently participating in the world’s largest environmental remediation – also known as the Athabasca Oil Sands in Northern Alberta.
Hey…we’re removing all that dirty oil and replacing it with clean sand.
(And with the utmost respect…Al Gore, David Suzuki and the Greens can just blow me.)
Kind Regards Kate,
Dave
Shift supervisor, provincial government.
Since I missed the last poll.
Age 45.
Geologist
Physicist and Engineer. 37.
retired teacher
Active Duty Canadian Air Force
Is there any field not included in the above.
AGT telephone operator, secretary to legal and accounting firms, retired farm wife, self employed with a home based accounting and tax preparation (35yrs) have held executive positions in several not for profit org. Last 20 yrs advocate for special needs students, and young disabled adults. Married to same guy 53yrs in July. Great blog. Thanks Kate.
Lawyer, 60
Legal assistant by day, terror-fighting blogger by night.
RG
What an amazing gathering of people. I’m grateful to you all for being in your unseen company while I read Kate’s blog.
Part-time educator specializing in collaborative internet-based virtual colloquia.
Wow what a diverse group of people.
Owner/operator for a local cartage company and the movie industry, speculator in Canadian mining and exploration stocks. God bless capitalism and SDA.
CA
mainframe software specialist
Veterinary Pathologist
Manufacturing supervisor. By trade, Heavy Duty Mechanic.
Age 28, M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, aspiring therapist.