My parents said that I was an engineer in diapers. My mom did not want us to work while we were in high school. She wanted us to enjoy our youth and something about having to work for the rest of our lives once we left college. (Looking back, I should have played more.)
Technically, the first jobs I had were those assigned by my father. I learned landscaping (mowing), woodworking, house painting, how to hang drywall (or at least hold it up), roofing, plumbing, auto maintenance, and some electrical work for which room and board was my salary.
Those jobs often left one exposed to the elements. Roofing during the heat of the summer. Carrying those roof shingles on one shoulder up a ladder and tacking them down in 90+ degree weather. Trying to solder copper pipe during the winter cold. The pipe is cold. Holding it between your knees and sanding that edge with a little light and looking forward to the heat used for soldering. Holding that drywall up over my head while my dad missed nails. Those experiences made me think that lifting a pencil, punching a calculator, and sitting at a desk in a controlled environment might not be too bad of an idea career wish. Heck on the back, but easy on the extremities.
Prior to my co-operative education experiences, I did drive an ice cream truck for a brief period one summer. You learn quickly that the veterans have the best routes. My mom made me quit stating that it cost her more to drive me to work than I was making.
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James Williams P.E., M.ASCE
Principal/Owner
POA&M Structural Engineering, PLC
Yorktown, VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-11-2021 08:59 AM
From: Chad Morrison
Subject: What were you before you became an engineer?
What were you before you became an engineer?
What was your first job and how did it help you on your career path?
As a teen, I worked as a parking lot attendant at the beach. My duties included flagging in cars, directing them where to park, collecting money, and cleaning up. It helped instill me with a good work ethic. It taught me to care for the environment and how to deal with the public. In regard to engineering - there is no such thing as free parking - and a lot is infrastructure! We also had to be mindful of accessibility for emergency vehicles.
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Chad Morrison P.E., M.ASCE
Professional Engineer
Greenville RI
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