Hi! Weird request, mildly related, but does any of you fine people have any suggestions for interesting and Lefty-friendly jobs?
After a decade of undoing the universe's work by completely annihilating my soul in IT, I want out. I'm not looking for alternative jobs in IT, I want out-out. Like, I don't wanna be usin' a computer for more than making Spreadsheets, and phones for more than chatting and ignoring emails. Edit here: would also use for graphical design and related, but I'd have to start from scratch. Basic Paint.net usage is my high-score.
In terms of pay, that will be a secondary concern, my priority is establishing a list of potentials in order to have a nice foothold from which to start figuring it out.
If it's of any help, my "Major's" QA, mostly Manual and some Automation (Cypress with JS). I've also officially done some Project Management, Process Auditing and Optimisation, Data Science, and Community Management (-ish on the last one, training programs/materials and project organiser for a community of freelance testers). Got a Bachelor's in Theatre Acting, two years as a bass player in two bands, some IT/maths/phys background from high-school (Eastern European curriculum, so they really let us have it...) and I enjoy analysing and solving problems. Heavily into literature, music and visual arts, I can learn absolutely anything and I do not shy away from physical labour - kinda' miss it, actually.
I'm super-serious about this, I can't stand the domain anymore and I feel I'll lose my mind if I have to keep doing this.
Thank you very much even if you've only read through this!
Lefty friendly, i would assume your interests would align with trying to help the common person, and climate change adaptation.
Your stated experience, and interests sound varied, and present you as a highly active person.
Combining these things in my mind i instantly thought you should get into food system adaptation for a warmer more volatile world. Where people could really suffer horrendously with climate change is if food production systems break down. We need smart people, willing to try new approaches in that system. Farming where i'm from is bed of roses, and a lot of the skills you listed farmers here would likely use, so its probably the same/similar elsewhere.
So specifically i's thinking organic farming, or permaculture, or perhaps a more scientific route such as propagation of new tougher varietals.
Logistical needs are also important, the amount of energy used to transport food must be immense and so that could be an avenue you could go down marrying your comments about mechanical engineering to the idea of improving the worlds food production systems.
Good luck with your ongoing career, whatever you decide.
This was an almost creepy read, because you seem to have highlighted the very reason why I want out of IT and a desire I had swimming in the back of my mind for a while now!=))
Point one, it's because I feel that the time I invest in my work ends up nowhere - especially in QA and given the tendency to not do actual QA during dev time anymore because more profits.
Point two, my physical labour background actually stems from several years spent at the countryside and doing honest to goodness agriculture. I miss those activities, from managing a rural household, to sewing and reaping significant amounts of grain, corn and potatoes. It never fully left me, and especially in the past several years it's as though it started forming into a sort of desire. Maybe it's time to actually look into it.
Thank you so much for these insights, you helped me figure out a bit of myself!