[Barrie Youde]

Journalist, actor, farmer, porn-star, binman, clergy, teacher.

All of the above professions have seemed attractive at some point or other in my life. At the age of 76 I am quite certain that I would have failed dramatically in each one and am only too grateful for the careers which I have actually experienced and enjoyed greatly. In no other career could I have enjoyed the backing of the law to take the conduct of large of ships into and out of a major port; and neither, in all probability, would I have known anything of the law relating to that activity. To be able to speak of it today is the fulfilment of much ambition.

I speak not in jest but in gratitude for all and everything that I have learned along the way; and with every acknowledgment to those who have taught me. They know who they are. Perhaps, in their graves, they spin with embarrassment that their pupil should speak. I hope not.

Do other SN members have thoughts about alternative careers?

 

[Ken Wood]

Really fancied being king, but my anti royalty background meant that I never even applied. Seriously, a seagoing career was the only thing I ever fancied doing, and I have never had a single regret. Anyway, I don’t like horses or corgis, so the king thing would never have worked.

 

[makko]

Barrie,

In school, I was very interested in becoming an orthopaedic surgeon (too many years study), Royal Marines Officer (Didn't fancy dying or, worse still, being maimed) or Marine Engineer (visiting exotic places, doing an interesting, reponsible job, getting a good education and BEING PAID FOR IT!). Armed with ten O-levels, I opted for the latter, achieving my TEC Diploma (OND), Higher Diploma (HND) and tickets.

FAST FWD TAPE:

In 1995, the Mexican Peso went "south". I owned and operated a relatively successful and cutting edge engineering project company. Things went very bad! From not owing "owt to nowt", it came down to a final debt of 9K USD. Facing a lawsuit, Mrs. Makko remembered a certificate of deposit in Houston of 10K USD. She was stopped in customs - carrying 9,999 USD, 1 dollar below the limit. Debt paid!

I continued on my own until 1998 when I took up payed employment again in engineering, a good position. I did well and learned a lot. I did a spell under contract which, due to poor earnings by the company, ended my employment, one month before my second daughter was born (2000).

I decided to look far and afield. I was offered a position running a drydock in UK, this never materialized. I ended up as chief of design for a water treatment/solid recovery, bespoke equipment company.

In 2006, having completed my agreed 5 year contract in the UK, after 1 year in Spain and four months onsite in Portugal, I was sick to death of engineering projects "run by bean counters". What to do now?

During my time in UK, I had heard of and applied for the prospectus of a "Forensic Engineering" degree at Sheffield Uni. With two kids and Uk wages, the prospect of studying for such a degree was beyond me.

After having been liquidated, I was intent on (for the sake of my family) returning to Mexico. Lo and behold! My Dad sent me (by post!) a cutting from the Chartered Institute of Mech. Engrs., an advert seeking bilingual (Eng-Spa) Mech. Engs as "adjusters" in Venezuela. What was an Adjuster? I quickly found out!

Venezuela, NO! Mexico, YES! I found that the company had an office in Mexico City and, after many revisions, sent, at 0400, an application for employment. Then to bed, to ponder IF I would even receive a reply.

0700 - Reply, we want to employ you. When can you come to Mexico? That was it! Into my fourteenth year, investigating Root Cause and adjusting (mainly) Machinery Breakdown claims. No two cases are the same, a real "work out" for my knowledge, experience, intuition as an engineer and as a qualified CILA adjuster! Lots of travel, from Mexico to Tierra Del Fuego and then other places (USA, Bermuda, Samoa, Italy for example.). Consulting on losses in Pakistan et al.

What I got was what I wanted - To work with what I truly know, employing my experience/knowledge, to achieve results and satisfy people (by my direct intervention).

Did I ever see myself in this place? No! And I have to doff my cap to the initiater of it all - My Marine Engineer Cadetship with Ocean Fleets , plc. (Jan. 80 intake), sailing on the last of the Blue Funnel ships.

I still undertake ship inspections, but that is another story!

Rgds.
Dave

 

[Farmer John]

Looking at your list, Barrie, I have done some of those jobs with the intent of making them a full time career, but I have had to skip around quite a bit. One thing I am sure of, you couldn't go back and take the track I have again, I have sort of stepped off many platforms just when they were going down, and certainly becoming less fun. We look forward to turbulent times with a doubtful solid career path doing one thing ahead for anyone.

Teaching and acting are one and the same thing, just with one you get a script, with the other you get a general direction to work in.

 

[Charles Mattress]

Journalist, actor, farmer, porn-star, binman, clergy, teacher.

All of the above professions have seemed attractive at some point or other in my life. At the age of 76 I am quite certain that I would have failed dramatically in each one and am only too grateful for the careers which I have actually experienced and enjoyed greatly. In no other career could I have enjoyed the backing of the law to take the conduct of large of ships into and out of a major port; and neither, in all probability, would I have known anything of the law relating to that activity. To be able to speak of it today is the fulfilment of much ambition.

I speak not in jest but in gratitude for all and everything that I have learned along the way; and with every acknowledgment to those who have taught me. They know who they are. Perhaps, in their graves, they spin with embarrassment that their pupil should speak. I hope not.

Do other SN members have thoughts about alternative careers?

Gigilo...getting paid for something I can still get up to.[=P]

 

[Barrie Youde]

#5

A possibility - but rarely with a pension attached!

 

[Engine Serang]

Barrie you underestimate yourself, I'm sure you would have made a bloody good binman and a passible Poet Laureate, the best since John Betjeman.

 

[Barrie Youde]

#7

E-S

You are too kind; and I thank you. There is still time, I suppose, for a career on the bins. I will give it further thought.

 

[Varley]

Make it snappy then, please, Barrie. You'll be due today and don't reverse into the guest's Mini.

 

[expats]

I only ever wanted to go to sea...

My first choice was 'deck' but I only just passed the colour test, at 16, and the examiner suggested that I'd fail it in a couple of years.

Became a 'sparkie', and visiting foreign ports, it was the best job of the lot. I got a lot further than the first bar and really 'saw the world'.

No regrets at all.

 

[Barrie Youde]

#9

David, I haven't finished my thoughts, yet!

 

[Barrie Youde]

#10

I have no regrets at all. I have been most fortunate in having enjoyed two careers and now I merely ruminate aloud. Perhaps I should apologise.

 

[sparkie2182]

Expats....

I didn't know you were an R/O.
It explains a lot.

🙂

 

[expats]

Expats....

I didn't know you were an R/O.
It explains a lot.

🙂

Good looks? Intelligence? Charm?(Jester)(Jester)

 

[sparkie2182]

1 in 3????

🙂

 

[norm.h]

One day when I was still quite young, Mum and I were out when we met the Rector from our church. While he and Mum were chatting, I busied myself watching a vehicle that was clearing a nearby road drain. As we moved on I asked Mum whether she would rather I became a rector or drive a drain-cleaning lorry.

And really that was it until..........


In April 1950 I had my 16th birthday, and during the summer that year one of our teatime conversations went something like this:
Dad: "Well son, what do you want to do?"
Me: "Haven't a clue, dad".
Dad: "Do you want to stay at school?"
Me: "No, thanks!"
Dad: " How about doing an apprenticeship?"
Me: "If you think that's a good idea".
Mum: "What's the good of him doing an
apprenticeship? He doesn't know a spanner from a hammer".
Dad (in growling tone of voice), "That's what he's going to learn"

I chose to do an apprenticeship and created for myself another problem. Dad had arranged two interviews for me through people he knew from the docks. One was at a local ship repair firm, and the other was at the Locomotive Repair Shop, part of British Railways.
I attended both interviews and both firms offered me an apprenticeship as a fitter and turner.
After a brief discussion with Dad, who had been a railway or docks man all his life, I opted for British Rail.
I often wondered during my time at sea if I had made the right choice, and whether a ship repairing apprenticeship would have been more appropriate.

In later years with the advance of technology, I wondered if an electrical apprenticeship might have been a better choice, but at the time it wasn't an option.

From sea to power stations till retirement, when I spent 12 years with the local Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Did I ever want to be a porn star? It never crossed my mind..............

 

[nickwilson89]

The sea was for me from the age of four. My aim,that is my parents' aim, was the RN but my lack of real interest in getting the adequate education to be counted in their number meant ending up in the MN.

Excuse the oxymoron, but it was the most successful failure of my life, and though I only stayed thirteen years my life thereafter continued to be closely linked to ships,, my one and only love.

Nick

 

[Varley]

Well done Barrie, not a scratch on the car or a banana skin dropped. You also need to know that I expect my bin men to be able to offer advice on every aspect of Mini restoration but I'll let you settle-in gently.

 

[OilJiver]

Mini?

Would have thought Rover P5 more in your line V.

 

[Barrie Youde]

Further consideration of all of the other careers which I have listed confirms that the necessary will to follow any one of them simply wasn't there. Had the will been in me, then I could and should have given it a shot - but it wasn't, so I didn't. Hence I have no regrets at all.