What will be your occupation after 2000

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I live in the city and have no plans for leaving unless I'm forced out. Lets hope it doesn't come to that. I imagine that tending to my back yard garden will will be a high priority.

As for my current pre 2000 occupation, I doubt it will be around if the financials tank. I am hoping that my stash will be enough to broker some barter deals until things settle back into a civilized state

stayin put

-- Guns, Grub & Gold (home@the city.com), July 17, 1999

Answers

Life after such a disaster (if it's a 10, we are going to be in deep trouble, as we rent) in relation to occupation is not discussed on this board very much.

I have been trying like crazy to get a job for the last year in police or firefighting, but unless one is in a protected group, your name goes to the bottom of the list. I've been working as a software business analyst, trying to do some internet stuff, if it's not a total train wreck these skills will hopefully be in demand. Right now I'm doing a lot of software testing. I work in the city, live in a country suburban area 15 miles away near a water source. Sold our condo in a bad area, got out of debt, trying to maintain possible part-time job contacts. That's if there is gas for fuel to get to work.

-- Retroman (retro50@agapeis.net), July 17, 1999.


Two cents worth.

We have been thinking along similar lines.Police,Council or town employee,fire or emergency personnel,ambulance driver,nursing auxillary...occupations likely to still exist & where demand for extra employees maybe increased.Getting a foot under the table maybe difficult but join a volunteer group like Red Cross or get to now your local councillor.Use the time now to network.

-- Chris (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), July 17, 1999.


Retired! Or maybe just plain tired.

I am already planning on a worst case scenario, and in that eventuality, my business will take in little or nothing and my renters will not be able to pay their rents. Not planning on evicting anyone, but I can't pay their utilities (assuming they have any) and legally not able to turn them off, which puts me in a catch-22 situation.
-- sue (deco100@aol.com), July 17, 1999.


If international flights are flying and international banking functioning then I'll be returning to the Philippines to start my own NGO. If things are worse than that I'll be farming. I grew up on this farm, but I really hate the idea of being a farmer. If I thought it'd be forever I wouldn't even bother preparing for it.

-- Steve Hartzler (s.hartzler@usa.net), July 17, 1999.

If we don't have to leave the area, I suspect that we will be maintaining a homestead/small farm. If we have to leave, we will look at other areas outside the US where it may be safer. Ie, Australia/Tasmania where we have lots of friends and know our way around. We would also explore the possilities of islands in the Caribbean. Also would consider Costa Rica. All depends on what happens. But the number one occupation would be feeding ourselves. If we don't get TEOTWAWKI, but "just" a depression like the 30s, my husband has a machine shop, lots of iron, skills etc for fixing things. We have a large generator and lots of fuel and hopefully would be able to buy fuel, even if rationed. I have a green thumb and lots of medical skills. We will do whatever needs to be done, where ever we need to do it. Fortunately our stash should take us where ever we decide to go if we have to go.

Taz

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), July 17, 1999.



From my experience working in the life/health software industry, I think being a medical practitioner could be a very low demand occupation after Y2K. Many MD's and hospitals get 50% plus of revenue from Medicare- and the provider end is nowhere near compliant. In addition, one health insurance company is in serious trouble testing-wise.

-- Retroman (retro50@agapeis.net), July 17, 1999.

Here are a few ideas for some skills that I suspect will be useful in post-1999. Obviously, many could be the basis for a business or desirable employment. This list comes from the second half of item #4 in the article "Finding Y2K Prep Time" on my website (which my new site administrator is redoing as I write this).

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

Small engine repair, first aid/other (nonquack) medical*, some chemistry courses, computer programming, public health, local wild plants, electrician/plumber/masonry apprenticeships, vegetable gardening/horticulture/practical agronomy classes, welding, firearm repair, locksmithing, Spanish, English (if you don't speak it well now), local entomology/pest control, animal husbandry, millwright, process control technician, mechanic, logging/rough carpentry, hydraulic/chemical/electrical engineer, food safety, marksmanship, martial arts, fence construction, blacksmithing, farrier, bowmaker/fletcher/archery, candlemaking, butchering, nonelectric sewing/clothes mending... you get the idea.

*largely nonmarketable post-1999 IMO: aroma therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy that doesn't include certain "other" services, traditional (Asian/aboriginal) medicine, crystal healers, heliotherapy/tanning booths, faith healers, pyramid anything, copper bracelets, overdosing on vitamins, 90+% of the herbal supplement business (occasional effectiveness but mostly extreme desperation/ ignorance will account for the part that remains), etc., etc. Surgical alternatives to complex pharmaceuticals due to supply problems will IMHO be a growth field for a few years.

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), July 17, 1999.


This nurse figures she'll still have a job--maybe the pay will drop but think it would be hard for them to close the nursing home doors..what are they going to do??? Throw the old folks out in the street like they did with so many mentally ill pts. a few years back? A good majority of our residents have no family and obviously, can't care for themselves physically. Don't think our society is bound for soylent green....scary movie if your're my age!

-- MUTTI (windance @train.missouri.org), July 17, 1999.

can't imagine why you'd think accupuncture, herbal medecine and chiropractic would be a goner after 2000- or massage therapy either- on the contrary- I think the demand would be high- especially if many traditional meds/treatments not easily available.

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.com), July 17, 1999.

Programmer. Seriously. Will be more needed, not less if < 10. If 10, no occupations matter.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), July 17, 1999.


Minnesota, I'll take my acupuncturist any day over my regular MD. He effectively treated me for acid reflux, and our CPA's wife for kidney cancer. (she had 2 months to live 4 years ago, until she stopped chemo and started having pins stuck in her). If an area of medicine has growth for Y2K, its acupunture- no reliance on pharmacuticals, although the Chinese herbal imports could be a problem. I think that nursing homes WILL close down- my in-laws are currently ignoring this issue with their mother. Most of the workers in the nursing home are from the inner city, with a drive of maybe 12 miles, and I don't think they will work without pay. Medicine is a business that gets mutual profit from insurance companies and clients- but if a business has no income, who will come to work without pay? The nursing home has a generator that will last 2 days. Hope its enough.

-- Retroman (retro50@agapeis.net), July 18, 1999.

Big growth industries next few years; Bicycle repair and mass transit (bus driver). Given the reported state of the oil industry, I expect that what gas is available will be allocated to the military,police and emergency services,railroads, trucking and mass transit.What little is available to the public will be rationed and very expensive.Rush hour next year in any American city will look like rush hour today in Shanghai; big buses packed to overflowing and a gazillion bicycles going in every direction. SUVs make great planters or the homeless can sleep in them.Of course the yuppies will have their luxury mopeds ( what do you suppose a Beemer moped will look like?). Mass transit, always underdeveloped in the US compared to the rest of the world, will grow exponentially over the next decade.Lots of people who today sell stocks or insurance or cars gonna be driving buses over the next decade.

-- Ralph Kramden (And@awaywego.com), July 18, 1999.

If I could not continue in data processing, perhaps a new career as a commercial fisherman (sail boat platform) will work. Making fishing lures, evaporating sea water for salt, raising chickens for eggs, raising fruits and vegetables (ginger, papayas, and bananas grow relatively quickly), etc. I expect that in all but the worst cases, there will be some economy, but the question will be how much will the money be worth!

Timeshare salesman will probably be particularly rough...

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), July 19, 1999.


I plan on being a warlord! :) Hey somebody has to do it.

Ok, Ok I'll stick to raising the cattle I've got. My limited machine shop skills may come in handy as well. In a pinch I'll fall back on my computer support skills, if the power stays on. Mostly I plan on keeping a low profile and helping out the other ranchers and farmers in my area. Manual labor in not fun but it might keep you fed.

Freelancer....

-- Freelancer (mercenary2000@yahoo.com), July 19, 1999.


Mommy, to more than my own { as usual } and then some. If I'm lucky.

-- flora (***@__._), July 19, 1999.


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