A brief history of Mine

Repeat after me – I am not a loser. Yes, I tell myself that all the time. Of course, I wish I had some evidence recently. I have been looking for a job for going on 5 years. I have all of those skills and talents that companies say they are not only looking for, but that they are desperate to find. There is little technology on the planet that I don’t understand. I devour science and technology, and I have ever since I could stand upright. And, I have a unique ability to actually understand it, not just memorize bits & pieces. I know electronics, not the personal crap that has come to be known by that term, but the resistors, capacitors, IC’s and circuits that make it work. I have designed, built and maintained electronics equipment long before it was a euphemism for a PC.

In the Navy in the 70′s I maintained and operated a multi-million dollar state of the art Missile system. Starting with mastering the fire control radar, I also earned a secondary job code on the computer systems that ran it. Along with that I was a part of the deck crew, responsible for the steering gear, and well on my way to getting a Surface warfare specialist designation – which involved learning everything from how to conn the ship, to standing boiler room watches. I was also a member of the ship’s security force, and nuclear security team. An extensive background check, numerous psych evaluations, small arms and self defense training were all part of being on that team.

In my 28 years with the AP as an Ohio field engineer I did everything from install and maintain hundreds of large satellite dishes,  to help maintain newspaper computer systems, in addition to my primary role as a telecom technician responsible for the networks, computer systems, telecom and satellite equipment, and end user processing that delivered the AP newswires, audio, video and photos to 130 Newspapers, and about 200 radio & tv stations within Ohio. As well, since we were legally a phone company (OCC), I also maintained the equipment and systems that delivered stock and financial market data, sports information, weather and agricultural data to nearly 400 commercial customers in Ohio. My position in the AP saw me navigate and keep abreast with tremendous technical change in the 80′s, 90′s, and 2000′s, including a revolution in photography, including nursing the newspaper production plants through a move to color photos, a major sea change in how ads are delivered (AP Adsend), and several generations of printing technology – from lead type all the way through digital direct to press. And, in between, I built bureaus, fixed the sink, repaired all the news gathering equipment, and maintained backup generators.

I also do skilled trades. Electrician, Plumber, Carpenter, woodworker and fabricator.  Those skills that the schools advertise as “learn a new career”. And not book learning. I work with my hands, and I have done all those things for a long time. I am easily the equal of any journeyman electrician (With the added benefit of extensive understanding of electrical theory), and I may know more about how houses are built than Bob Vila or Norm Abrahms  – Not Tommy Silva, but…  As a condo manager for 15 years, I also did much of the maintenance for our 10 buildings. I have built entire houses, and remodeled/renovated countless others, as well as working as my father’s helper (who was originally a cabinet maker) for a year in a remodeling business after HE was laid off from Rockwell.

I am also a skilled mechanic. Far beyond “shade tree” I have built and repaired cars since day one. I started my work career repairing cars. As a member of the Navy’s auto hobby shops in the 70′s, I have helped and trained dozens of people how to do everything from diagnostics to overhauls. I have built cars for drag racing, and I was well known in that “circle” for my tuning ability, knowledge of electrical systems, and ability at building carbs. And I fully understand the systems, computers, and electronics that pack our modern cars – something else that is supposedly hard to find.

Yet, not even McDonalds, or the local grocery store, will hire me.

Why?

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