[Wendy]

My first job was unpaid, I worked on a Saturday helping on the delivery van for my Dad's bakery. My first paid job was as a comptometer operator, a while ago I was explaining to my Granddaughter that it was a large adding and calculating machine, to which she said "why didn't you just use your phone"!! Kids these days !!

 

[Cheb]

There was a role in banking back in the 60s and early 70s called a Ledger Machine Operator. The process involved printing onto a large card the chequering account transactions. This was a large mechanical device with foot pedal controls.

I also was a Ledger Machinist, first in a Branch of The National Bank and then transferred to Branch Accounts in Head office. There, we would collate all of the weekly and monthly details of every Branch in Victoria. Those machines were about 2 meters wide and we used huge rolls of paper.
Luckily, I started in The Bank just before we changed to decimal currency, so when I went to visit my Aunt and Uncle in England, I got a job in Barclays Bank just before they were changing to decimal currency.
A few years ago, my Husband and I went to a country town in NSW, I can't remember the name where they had a small museum. I had to laugh when I saw an accounting machine amongst their exhibits.

 

[Geoff8]

My first job was that of a Drug Paddler. Delivering pharmacy drugs for a chemist on my push bike.

So you started the “drug peddling craze” lol, I couldn’t resist …..sorry

 

[Alexander]

Serving an apprenticeship still exists I assume? I joined the Merchant Navy as a cadet in 1953 to accumulate 3 years of actual sea time before I was allowed to sit for a second mate's certificate. Sea time I should imagine is still a pre-requisite before you can sit for your certificate. The technical requirements will be very different now with the advances in technology. I'd probably fail if I sat the exams now!!!

 

[featherfour]

The first place I worked still exists, and I see it every time I drive onto the Monash freeway off Wellington road. It's called Ensign laboratories and they make aerosol containers, filling everything from spray paint to scented body sprays. The job was loud, with conveyors going in all directions. It could also be dangerous, as the spray cans were floated in a hot bath to see if they were over pressure and would explode…sometimes they did!

 

[Nana Zorak]

My wedding dress was made and designed by a lady who used to work for Norman Hartnell (I've still got it 56 years later)

Well most of us sewers continued to ply our trade in some way or another. I came to Australia in 1965 & I spent my first 12 years in Cairns sewing for others first as an alteration hand & window dresser in a dress shop, then as a manager in a bridal workshop, and then my own bridal business. During this time I also managed to fit in a stint at the local amateur Choral Society as a costume designer for their productions & as an actress as such. The highlight came when I was asked to arrange costumes for Cairns Centeenery in 1977. as I had to dress people in 1877 Fashions. What fun we had.

 

[Lelly]

Your First Job. Does It Still Exist?​

I came across this post the other day and it got me thinking, does your first job still exist? Telegram boys, lift operators, milkmen, comptometrists, typists, tea ladies, linotype operators, petrol pump attendants, tram conductors, manual switchboard operators and the lavatory man have all disappeared as jobs since the 1950s. The world has changed so drastically, some for good, others not so much. So I’d love to hear from you, does your first job still exist?

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Does your first job still exist? Image source: australiarememberwhen.net.au

My first job was as a ticket writer for Woolworths. I sat in a little office and painted on card stock all the special price signs for the store.I was trained by a very severe spinster who demanded perfection with each brush stroke.

 

[Macarj]

No, my first job doesn't exist anymore I was a messenger boy in the Port Kembla steel works in 1971 delivering mail and schedules to the production units with the advent of computer generated schedules and email that job was ended in the early 1980's

And as a 15year old I was paid 27cents an hour

 

[Tristeagan]

One of my first jobs was working for a butcher in a busy inner suburb. The job is probably still there but the duties may be a little different. Each week I made trays of Beef Olives (strips of skirt steak rolled around stuffing mix and secured with a toothpick), crumbed lamb brains, scotch eggs (hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat and crumbed), rolled sheep tongues, etc. I also made the sausages, kept the display trays full and washed them and the labels every night, raked the sawdust on the floor behind the counter and on busy days worked as the cashier.
We always had special trays of sausages, mince and sausage meat that had no preservatives or additives stored in the fridge so that when the boss heard the inspector was doing the rounds they could be quickly swapped with the ones in the serving cabinet. All the butchers did it in those days and they let each other know when the inspector was on his way to allow time to do the swap, clean the benches and sweep the sawdust before he arrived.

 

[paulamc52]

Serving an apprenticeship still exists I assume? I joined the Merchant Navy as a cadet in 1953 to accumulate 3 years of actual sea time before I was allowed to sit for a second mate's certificate. Sea time I should imagine is still a pre-requisite before you can sit for your certificate. The technical requirements will be very different now with the advances in technology. I'd probably fail if I sat the exams now!!!

Hi Alexander, I've just finished reading your post.My Dad was in the British Merchant Navy.Thats how we Emigrated to Australia in 1963.Dad thought Australia would be the best place for us all.I have 5 other siblings, we've all done really well in our jobs.

 

[Wipperwill]

My first job was as a shorthand typist in a London bank had to learn how to work a ledger machine,forget the technical name. After a while went to work in New York as a stenographer then I came back to London and emigrated to Sydney here again good old stenography. On the move once more I went to Honolulu,Hawaii where I again worked in a bank as a stenographer. Back I came to Australia. So without the shorthand typist skills I wouldn't have been able to do what I did. Now,of course, everyone is on computers.

 

[paulamc52]

My first job was as a shorthand typist in a London bank had to learn how to work a ledger machine,forget the technical name. After a while went to work in New York as a stenographer then I came back to London and emigrated to Sydney here again good old stenography. On the move once more I went to Honolulu,Hawaii where I again worked in a bank as a stenographer. Back I came to Australia. So without the shorthand typist skills I wouldn't have been able to do what I did. Now,of course, everyone is on compu

 

[paulamc52]

Wow what an interesting life you've had.Im originally from England, we emigrated in the 60s. Mt Dad was in the British Navy,he had been out here,and with 5 kids.Dad reckoned Australia was the best place for us.