Monday, September 5, 2016

My Career, Celebrating Labor Day.....

   This is my certificate of completing my apprenticeship ,. This  is from the United States Department of Labor.  After four years as an apprentice , I became a journeyman electrician.
   I served my apprenticeship at Delco Electronics of General Motors corp. I didn't want my whole name to show...LOL   Most of you know my full name.
   Here's the graduating ceremony. That's me in front with a curly perm. :):)  After 4 years of on hands training and classes of  blueprint  reading, algebra, geometry, trig., physics, ac-dc fundamentals, refrigeration, So many I can't recall them all. Then there's classes of safety things, such as confined spaces,  asbestos removal, hi-lift safety, lock-out safety...on and on...
    I had a lots of homework, while going to the classes and working at the same time. Work days go to school twice a week at night.
   When I topped out(getting thru school and becoming a journeyman) , the fellows I worked with made me this pink tool pouch.  I still have it , but never used it at work. LOL
  Here's my work pals in one of the departments I work in. We did construction, truck shop, board repair,  It was a great career, good benefits, and pay.
  I truly enjoyed my job . Most of the fellows I worked with , were like brothers to me. I knew there wife's and children' s names. I miss working at times.
  Recently I gave my tools and tool boxes to my grandson Skylar. This is one young man who will use these tools.
  Hope all of you had a great weekend. I sure did. Even though we work some of it here. The weather was perfect. Enjoy the short week. XO

36 comments:

  1. Susie, that's awesome and quite an achievement to become a journeyman electrician. wow, it looks like you were the only woman in the bunch. How nice that you knew all the wives and families too. What an accomplishment, Susie.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Thank you Sheri. I did enjoy my job and most of the co-workers. I miss some of those fellows. There wasn't many women in the trades at that time....but more were coming into it. I will say they were given a fair chance. Blessings, love you, xoxo, Susie

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  2. how interesting! and nice that you could pass your tools on to someone special! I wont be retiring for another 7 or 8 years... I guess Im in no hurry to get older.. but I sure would love to be retired! lol!
    have a great day!
    xoxo
    vivian

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    1. Vivian, Honestly retirement is great...but I do miss working. I will say when you retire have two or three hobbies...as some you may not be able to do as you age. I know you have lots of fun hobbies...so I think you will do fine. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  3. Gee, Susie. I am so impressed at this. Those are difficult courses to pass. High five to you and thanks for telling us about it. You are also a very cute journey "man" electrician!

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    1. Nonnie, My daughter Angie and I were taking trig at the same time. We both hated it. LOL. Math was always my hardest subject yet my favorite. I wish I had that big ole curly perm now. LOL. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  4. What an interesting post, Susie! It was a long process to achieve those goals! - xo Nellie

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    1. Nellie, I help me afford a good life for my girls . We never had the finish but we never went without. It did seem forever going to school and working together.Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  5. How did I not even know this about you?! I'm very impressed. How long have you been retired?(I have five more years). -Jenn

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    1. Jenn, I got to retire early since I started work early. I will say you need hobbies when you retire. Possibly two or more. But then once you retire and start doing others things in life you will often wonder how you ever found time to work. I wish you the best, blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  6. Wow Susie this is so great to know about you.
    What a wonderful accomplishment. Congrats on a long and successful career.
    Kris

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    1. Thank you Kris. You yourself knowing working with children is sometimes a juggling act. My children understood for us to live well I would have to work and they were my little helpers. I've been blessed. The only thing electrical I do much any more is turn something on. LOL. Climbing in the steel is over now. Blessings to you, xoxo, Susie

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    1. Thanks Deb. I feel it was a great job....but I think my best job was raising my daughters , I am blessed there. Blessings to you, xoxo, Susie

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  8. I'm impressed, not an easy field work in.

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    1. Janet, Some times it was hard dirty work, like putting a safety harness on and working in the steel rafters....other times it was changing out a chip on a board. I did a lot of electrical trouble shooting of the machines used on the assembly lines. I did like it. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  9. So nice to learn this about you! The pouch your work pals made is so cute ♥
    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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    1. Summer , Most of the men a worked with treated me fairly ,like as sister. Few were mean. I learned to stand my ground with them ...without making waves. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  10. You have more talents that I didnt know about. Sounds like you enjoyed your job. Hugs

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    1. Debby, My job was an answer to my prayers of raising my daughters well. They saw me study many, many times. They saw that it takes hard work to achieve one's goals...so I think they took that to heart. Most of my co-workers were good men working for their families , just as I was. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  11. I am sooo impressed, dear Susie...
    and I think it's so sweet to give your tools to him. He will treasure all of them, I know

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    1. Thank you BJ. I asked Skylar if he would think of me when he uses those tools and he said he would. I know boys get their dad's or grandpa's tools but maybe not many get nana's tools . Skylar is so mechanically inclined...he fixes things now and is just 17. I also showed him the last pair of gloves I used on construction...all black with grease. LOL....just wanted him to know Nana worked hard once. LOL. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  12. Just wondering, why did you choose that profession? Did someone influence you or give you a nudge in that direction?

    Another question, did you work on your own dwelling, like installing some electrical light etc?

    I find this all very interesting! We all would enjoy having an afternoon tea with you. I bet you have much more you could share.

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    1. When the openings for the apprenticeship program started...you could pick 3 fields, I chose model maker, tool/die, and electrician. The electrical job opened up first so I took it. Better pay, a skill I could take with me if the factory closed. A few reasons. Honestly...if you ever have a fire...the first thing people point to is wiring. LOL.So it's best to get a licensed electrician. I have done wiring here, but I don't do it for others. The first thing I ever fixed myself was my clothes dryer. I had very few tools here at home till I went into the trades. Blessings to you, xoxo, Susie

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  13. Susie, I didn't have a clue that is what your occupation was. That is so great. My hubby is a machinist and can do just about anything except he won't mess with anything electrical. Your expertise must come in really handy when doing work on your house..Happy Week to you..xxoJudy

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    1. Thank you Judy. Ted is a pipefitter. We pretty much can do about all around here. I am sure your husband can too. Since you call him the captain. I thought maybe he was a navy man. LOL. Blessings to you both. xoxo, Susie

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  14. Oh, Susie, that is just awesome that you can pass down your tool bag to someone so dear to you. I had no clue either. My dad was electrical and could fix or wire anything- and went into electronics in the late 50s early 60s, when that took off- on the ground floor, pun intended. Mom rewired pinspotters for AMF and I worked at Littelfuse, buiding and testing, labeling fuses. Certified water welder, too! Haha. Love that you were a girl doing a mostly guys job. I miss working, too.

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    1. Tete, We are labor sisters. :):). I feel like I have had many different lives at times. I work the radio lines when I hired in GM . Then I was laid -off and became a fashion consultant for Aubrey Jewelry Creations. Then When I got called back to work...I knew I need something to help me get my foot in the door elsewhere if need be. So I signed up for the apprenticeship at GM. It helped my girls and I have a better life. I am proud that you, and your parents worked in connecting fields.Hope you kept things from your working in that business. Skylar is so mechanically inclined he can fix about anything and he's only 17. Hugs to you girl. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  15. Great history! That must have been quite an accomplishment for a gal; my hubby was a journeyman machinist and there weren't a lot of gals in that field-he worked at H.P.
    Have a great week.
    Hugs, Noreen

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    1. We had women in all the trades at Delco. Some of it was hard work...You might have to grunt to get some of it done. LOL. I wish I were as strong as I was then. Best shape of my life. Judy at Gold Country Cottage says her hubby was a machinist also. :) Tell you hubby hello. Blessings to both of you, xoxo, Susie

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  16. Susie, what a fascinating career! You are one smart, sharp cookie!

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    1. Vee, Thank you...I wish I could tell how many times the fellows would say to me in class...dn't worry, you only have to get a "C". I would tell them, that some times I was working my brains out to get a "C". Especially in Boolean algebra. It was a rough 4 years of school, because it was at night, after work. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  17. THAT IS SO AWESOME!!!! Now why is it I am not one bit surprised that you had such an interesting and amazing career??? :) xoxoxo

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    1. It was a great living for me to care for my daughters . They saw me studying at the dining room table. One year Angie and I were taking trig at the same time. Her for her college courses and for some reason math was a huge subject for Delco's (GM) apprenticeship. I am sure I have raised strong women. All four of them are workers. :):) I think your girls are also. You are a strong young lady. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  18. Very impressive!!! And how awesome that your grandson is following in your footsteps! Blessings from Missouri my friend!

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    1. Thank you so much for the kind words. I think my grandson is going to be a very smart young man. Hope he jumps right into school after he graduates H.S. I waited a long time before I took those 4 years of classes...it was a brain burner for me. LOL. Blessings to you too honey, xoxo, Susie

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