Qualified as a Mechanical engineer originally and have been working in manufacturing for 20 years. I’ve been the Managing Director of an Extrusion business for the last 4 of those.
I was told as a child go to university or you will go nowhere, although this has served me well I’m not sure it’s advice that I would pass on. A big reason for buying the MX5 was to get time on the tools again.
I’d probably say some sort of del boy but of the mountain bike component world.
I used to buy a lot of bikes and either fix them or strip them, now I tend to stick to hydraulic bicycle brake systems, mainly medium to high end stuff.
I really like the HOPE stuff, especially their brakes which I often strip and rebuild. It’s very nicely made stuff.
I will try many things, I used to make quick shifters for the 2007-2011 Honda Type R, basically whatever I’m interested in at the time I’ll try and make money from it.
Before all this I did sheet metal engineering, which right now would have been useful, could make my own exhaust! (been waiting for Cobalt replacements for months now)
Good one. 
Gardner, Decorator, Parent, Life Coach, Physiologist, Councillor, Shoulder to cry on, sympathetic ear and Dog Walker. For the rest of the week I’m a Commercial Director.
Started out, after my PhD, as a marine microbial ecologist in Alabama in 1995, then Research Fellow at Queens University in Belfast, more applied microbiology. I then jumped into industry at a company called Smiths Detection, where I lead a team developing and fielding biological detection equipment for various armies, but also in a team developing Foot and Mouth instruments for vets and MRSA detection for hospitals. I was also the Biosafety Officer to the company. I left there in 2012 to join GlobalData, where I am Director of Research in the Medical division, with an international team in UK, Canada and India, which I last visited just as the virus was kicking off… The last 12 months for me have literally been Covid-19, daily, given that infectious diseases has been my world since 2004.
Computer database administrator, on permanent work-from-home under the present circumstances.
The chap who cuts my hair drives a Nissan Juke…
Freelance IT Consultant by day, wannabe mechanic by night/weekend.
Carpentry and joinery apprenticeship in Bath college early 80s,then moved to South Wales in '87 to subcontract to a Swansea ceiling and partition company. So you could say I’ve been screwing things up for over 30 years
Retired now for just over a year, and glad to have dodged the Covid bullet so far.
Started out on a RAF scholarship to University studying aeronautical engineering, and learning to fly, but a motorbike crash put paid to that, so switched to mechanical engineering in aircraft industry. Soon discovered that automotive paid better, so did that for a large European vehicle maker for the next 30 years, including an interesting period of vehicle competition and development. Another 20 years in various roles in technical management (some of it military vehicles) around the world, the last 10 as a freelance consultant (wish I’d gone solo sooner…!) and I guess at 71 it was time to hand over to younger people.
Still get called on the help out with old military stuff, but can pick and choose my projects these days,
Aircraft remain my first love, and I still commit aviation when I can, though mainly without an engine, in both full size and large scale model forms.
Strictly no hairdressing…!!
I’m 26, Automotive painter work In a body shop so it comes in handy at times.
I have already contributed to this thread but just to add.
After 4 months of retirement the pains in both my arms are subsiding and more interestingly the hard skin on my knees has now come off and i am now growing hair on my knee caps, wonder if the hair on my head will also come back.
I live in hope.
Tyre fitter, car valeter, driver and general gofer, now semi-retired… I guess!
Most of mine disappeared but now my backside aches through being compressed on the sofa too much.
Did an apprenticeship at Hawker Siddeley Power Transformers as a fabricator welder then worked in a garage doing repairs and welding cars, then a mobile welder on building sites, I then jumped ship and worked in a motor factors as I thought I didn’t want to be working on sites in my old age, I then got what I thought would be my dream job and started with a customer who I had become good friends with restoring classic cars but specialising in the Sunbeam Tiger and Alpine, unfortunately we fell out and I went back to a main supplier of car parts to the trade and that got me the job I’m in now which is working for an engine machining specialist in Romford Essex looking after the front counter and dealing with the booking in of jobs and supplying the parts. 65 next month and seriously thinking of retirement, I’m actually having an online meeting with my pension man next week, I can’t face another year dealing with the great British public (and a lot of the trade).
I sympathize with you there, I’m now in the Hotel/ Leisure maintenance sector, and I’m fed up with repairing smashed in walls,wrecked carpets, blocked toilets/ sinks , broken furniture etc, damaged by apes masquerading as humans , looking to retire asap.
Started life as a qualified electrical / electronic engineer, quickly moving into sales. For the last 25 years my life has been electric motors, from tiny fractional hp to multi megawatt synchronous motors and generators. My last 7 years have been leading our (ABB) UK, then Northern European sales operation, now this year, all Europe, focussing on low voltage (415v) motors.
Until last feb, my life was three weeks out of four travelling Europe. In the last 12 months I’ve left the home office for work just once!
What is clear though is that in a job that revolves around travel, meetings (all virtual, up to ten a day at present), telephone calls, leading teams etc., being able to get my hands dirty on the 5, or in the garden or even on the house, is utterly invaluable as stress relief. I’ve often said I get as much pleasure from the work I do on the 5 as I do the driving. And it’s all about providing a counter to my work life.
Having said that, I just love driving the car too😎
I really struggle with the attitude and actions of a lot of people, if you look at your experiences, do people treat their own homes that way? I’m still working and when a customer comes in I put a face mask on and we have signs telling people to do the same, but the amount of times I have to ask them to comply is ridiculous, and so many people seem to be exempt from wearing them 
, I’m surprised you see anyone with a mask on. If my man says I can afford it then I’m off in about June.
Would i be right in accessing that 80% of MX-5 owners are either retired to close to it 
I’m 41 so literally a spring chicken on here 
Railway engineer - currently undertaking a complete rebuild of the railway between Huddersfield and Dewsbury
Both retired 4 years back.
SWMBO was at the same school for 42 years, and evolved as a Senior Teacher specialising in ADHD & additional after school coaching for kids with any of the 4 forms of suspected dyslexia, but only in both cases if the parents agreed and were backed up by GP advice.
Not many know of the 4 recognised versions.
I spent 35 years in Mortgage & Investment finance, the last 15 with a global credit check organisation based in the States who had my office, with 20 other staff, in the North Lanarkshire area. Our job was to service & manage international banking computerised platforms which underpin everything from private & business client accounts to international stocks & share dealing.
If and when some of it went Pete Tong, it was intense to say the least. Usually Trojans & Virus infection from ( cough) Sources Unknown (Cough). They all had/have their own signature DNA & flag-ups…so we knew pretty much where they originated.
I do miss it …a lot. The adrenalin rush when the inhouse media & phones went ballistic ( rare) was something to experience.
Now?
Comfortably pensioned and while I detest being 68, it’s not a bad time at the moment to be 68. Like cooking, walking, reading people like Jordan Peterson, fussing over our two 5’s, keeping as fit as possible…though I’ve quit our gym subs as it’s never open and that saves £94.00 per month! We invested in home exercise stuff and TBH get similar benefits.
Just like a lot of folk here, pretty much treading social water keeping a safe distance from the great rabid mass of web-footed knuckle scrapers, and supporting our son ( senior trainer at Police HQ locally) with odd jobs in his house when he’s not in, and of course supplying Dad’s home cooked ready meals for his fridge. As for these, if stocks go too low…I can expect an “Ahem” Whatsapp…and he’s not a man to disappoint.
Not unusual for the pair of us to get our Marching Orders by text for a woodland foray often…whether we like it or not. At least he makes our sarnies & coffee up and carries them…
Typically, since where we live we are very lucky to have unspoiled isolated woodland walks, we got suited & booted and did 8 miles of part of the Antonine Wall yesterday and never came across another human being…bar a middle aged guy with 2 mental ( funny) Irish Wolfhound pups.
Basically, life’s good, could be better like us all, but I do miss my Great Glen Highland runs…but one day…