Saturday night nostalgia: Jobs of the past

Change over time is expected, and often things only get better. But it doesn’t stop us looking back nostalgically at the way things used to be when we were younger. 

One thing that has become almost unrecognisable since our day is employment. Do you remember the days when you’d leave school and get a job, and you’d likely be in that same job or with the same company for the rest of your life? You were loyal to your employer, and they to you (ideally), and you knew where you were going to be next week, next month, and next year. 

These days, it is considered unusual to stick around in one company for more than five years, and it’s even considered to be a negative thing on a resume in many industries. Workers move on after two years, and resumes are like a phone book. 

The types of jobs and careers have changed dramatically too. In many cases, people have been replaced by machines, and some industries have died out completely. 

Let’s take a look back at some of the jobs we used to have. Some are still around of course, but changed dramatically.  

Tram conductor

Fireman on a steam train

Textile factory work

Switchboard operator

Milliner

Milkman

Biscuit factory worker

Nurse

What was your job?