BC suggested we have a thread for this so I’ll get it started. Let’s include first job we had and go from there.
First job selling the Daily News after school in the city. What a great job that was kids of today don’t know what they are missing out on. I guess that kind of shaped my working career enjoying working for myself and being independent.
Went to Carlisle Tech and completed a pre apprenticeship as an auto electrician and got offered an apprenticeship at the WA Fire brigade. Unfortunately it was in O’Connor and lived in Noranda and the job started at 7am and public transport didn’t start early enough to get me there. Ended up accepting an apprenticeship at Midland Brick which wasn’t any better being 10 miles away and a 7am start so rode the pushy until I got my drivers licence.
Wasn’t a good apprenticeship unfortunately under one guy who didn’t teach me much. It wasn’t my choice anyway never really had the passion for it. A mechanic I got on with there started working from home and eventually quit to work full-time from home and thought how good is this being your own boss.
So I have mostly worked for myself in various businesses or as a sub contractor. I’ve had window cleaning businesses, a blinds business, internet kiosk business, been in real estate, electrical retail, car sales, worked for the RAC, security, courier driving and a few other things in between.
About 10 years ago I was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis which isn’t too bad managed by a couple of pills but I experience pain when writing. After that completed a course Cert lV Training and Assessment but didn’t really have an area of expertise I could use it but mate suggested I give taxi driving a go.
So the last 10 years I’ve been a taxi driver and in between stints did Uber driving, not by choice. I call it working for Satan. They are truly evil bastards. I have loved taxi driving but unfortunately my timing wasn’t great. Started in December 2013 and it was awesome during boom time but that boom soon came to an end and then Satan was born. The evil rideshare, another word for illegal taxi company. It completely ruined our occupation and the sleazy politicians rolled over and let the scum in because they could see how they could make billions and solve their problem of getting people off the dole.
I can tell you some stories and educate a few of you about the government. Right now the taxi industry is absolutely screwed and we are hurting big time because of that useless PM letting in Indian students who are allowed to drive taxis within weeks of arriving and even have their own taxi plate while here on a student visa. Go figure that out.
12 - 18 months ago we were making a killing until Prime Minister Sleazy Albanese did a dirty deal with the Indian PM and universities and other dodgy made up colleges have been flooded with Indian students. And they have flooded the taxi market and now we wait between 2-4 hours for a job due to the oversupply of taxi drivers and Sleazy said they could work up to 100 hours a fortnight until recently. Now it was cut back to 24 but recently increased to 40. The government are sell outs to Australian citizens and those who have earned the right to be called Australian citizens and permanent residents.
Since we are revealing some personal stuff, can we keep this respectful? Anything you want to ask feel free.