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.
Drilling fluids engineer. (Oil patch trash)
Pastor
Homeschooling Mom, 43.
Retired but now doing security work for the provincial gov’t. Former District Supvisor for Manitoba Hydro
Mortgage Specialist
Financial analyst, but with degrees in engineering and business.
Domestic engineer.
Well, stay-at-home wife. And activist. 😀
Senior Software Engineer – private sector. No government work past or present
61 years young. jack of all trades master of none.was even a cowboy for a short time.but in all honesty my horse was a hell of a lot better at it than me.
53yrs old, retired cop
Communications Techmologist = Retired
Comm research Lab Manager
Consultant Electrical System Comm
Mobile and Microwave system designer
Navy service
Visionary – retired at age 52
Research scientist, chemistry.
Nuclear design engineer – retired
Sales – Pump Distributor
Retired insurance claim adjuster. Now seeking employment as an inflatable doll tester.
geospatial engineer, remote sensing scientist.
Seeing as I didn’t get in on the age survey I will include it here. 77 year old retired and retired again pilot, 1973 from the RCAF/CAF then from commercial, mostly helicopter, in 1995.
Retired insurance claim adjuster. Now a free-lance inflatable doll tester.
Pension consultant
Mechanical Building Systems Engineer
I assist mother nature with pumps and fans.
Owner of private investigation firm and retired RCMP officer.
Machinist
Soldier, currently awaiting re-training as an Avionics Technician.
Retired Retail Owner – now part computer graphics.
Retired Retail Owner – now part computer graphics.
In addition to my present job (see way up top) I was also a mining technologist and hard rock miner for 5 years
Student – Bachelor of Education after degree progam, U of A. Secondary route: biology major, chemistry minor. Sold my business last year and am changing careers due to partial physical disability.
Programmer
Commercial Artist (Sculptor)
Commercial Artist (Sculptor)
Manager with a personal development seminar company.
Teacher (retired)
actuary
own small liquor store. Obviously in Alta, being privatized. Age 39.
Construction Management – Crane Rentals
46 year old Team Lead/telecommunications Specialist.
27, Data analyst and all around party starter
Highschool math teacher
Occupation: Phantom.
Sidelines, house painter and physical therapist. (Painting pays better.)
My hobbies are curmudgeonry, cabinetmaking and blasting steel with a torch, some of which may eventually resemble a hot rod. ~:D
Machinist. Sales manager for machine shop and oilfield fabication company.
financial analyst
Pressure vessel inspector, oilfield business co-owner. 38 years old… never kissed a girl.
Self-employed. Formerly journalist at world’s biggest business news service.
Lawyer in large Bay Street law firm, and grateful for your continuing effort which shows that there are still some functioning brains out there.
Professional recipient of government largesse for mostly sitting my prat. Somebody’s gotta work. We can’t all be farmers.
Read grain farmer in Sask.
Sorta retired, 69
Missed the age survey…41
Film and TV performer. Learning options trading. Part owner of fitness club. Part owner of several rental properties in Canada and abroad.
33
Software Architect
Before retirement, at age 60, I held various supervisory roles. Eight years into retirement, I volunteer in a number of capacities.
Actually, Kate, that would be another good question. How many of your readers put their money where their mouth is and volunteer for the betterment of their communities?
Too many of the loudmouth lefties that I know complain about society, etc. but are too self-centered to try to effect a change through volunteerism.
Hardware / embedded software engineer for hire, carpenter, curmudgeon.