How long have you been at work?

[Electric_Andy]

19 years to date, and I'm 35. The longest I've been out of work is 3 months (returning to the uk in the midst of the credit crunch). Still another 30 years to go at least, but I am paying into an NHS pension which is my motivation to keep going!

 

[tyred]

I grew up on a farm so have been working pretty much since I was big enough to be useful but my first proper job started after leaving collage in 2000. Recently got made redundant after 13 years service in my last job and haven't had much joy with any of my countless job applications so far. I was desperately unhappy in the last year or so of my last job following a company takeover and I feel so much better now and pleased to be out of the rat-race.

For the past few weeks I volunteered to help with a local arts festival and I really put my heart and soul into it and have rarely been so busy - cycling and driving all over the place handing out flyers and posters and delivering things, helping out at theatre and concert events, helping to lead a guided walk along disused railway lines. It really goes to show it isn't work if you enjoy what you are doing.

 

[Starchivore]

January 2015.

Would like to retire now please

Edit: Actually, November 2014 now I think about it. I worked 12 hour night shifts for the royal mail in a sorting warehouse over xmas. Job was rubbish but the other casual workers were a good bunch.

 

[Serynia]

Ashamed to say it but I wasted years of my life doing nothing.... Then I spent 10 years looking after my disabled husband before he died.
6 years ago we finally got a disabled adapted house so he could look after himself in, so I decided to go back to college did my Foundation degree in computing, sadly he died before I graduated but I carried on and studied a top up to make it a first class honours degree. Was talked into a PGCE in computing and Two years ago got my current job teaching foundation degrees at a north east College. I recently was promoted to Course leader and am starting my masters in September , I'm a lucky lady I have a job I love now

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Ashamed to say it but I wasted years of my life doing nothing.... Then I spent 10 years looking after my disabled husband before he died.
6 years ago we finally got a disabled adapted house so he could look after himself in, so I decided to go back to college did my Foundation degree in computing, sadly he died before I graduated but I carried on and studied a top up to make it a first class honours degree. Was talked into a PGCE in computing and Two years ago got my current job teaching foundation degrees at a north east College. I recently was promoted to Course leader and am starting my masters in September , I'm a lucky lady I have a job I love now

@Serynia

Wow, that's a bitter sweet story.

The very best of luck to you in your chosen field.

 

[Brandane]

I started work at 08:30, isn't it about time to go home?
Oh you mean..... It was August 1978 as a 16 year old school leaver I went into the merchant navy as an officer cadet. 4 years later I was in the Police for 19 years until pensioned off on health grounds. Many and varied jobs since 2001 but keep returning to HGV driving, now part time with agencies as I have no desire to work full time.

 

[marzjennings]

23 years in and about 21 years to go before retirement. Though I wouldn't mind dropping back to semi-retired in about 10 years, either with my current employer or go back to consulting and just work a few months a year. Once the kid is out of the house and done with Uni I really work on the whole work life balance thang.

 

[fenman]

left school 60years ago this Christmas, started work the following January on the 14th,as apprentice carpenter/joiner. still working today hope to finish in a years time, ps. worked in bakers bakehouse for three years before leaving school. started cycling and racing same year as started work.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Started work 1967, walked away Xmas 2015 having had many jobs, I'd had enough, in fact I'd had enough some years ago but I couldn't afford to walk away. I'm
now living off my savings and waiting for my state pension to kick in.