Nostalgia: Remembering our jobs of the past

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

One thing that has become almost unrecognisable since our day is employment. Gone are the days when you’d leave school and get a job, and likely stay 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 In many cases, people have been replaced by machines, and some industries have died out completely.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 have changed dramatically.

Tram conductor

It was common practice to board the train and tip your hat to the conductor once upon a time. The grand transportation vehicles were fitted with leather seats and wooden floors, creating a sense of old-school grandeur. These days, train drivers are isolated to the front of the train away from the public eye and prying eyes.

Fireman on a steam train

The fireman stoked the fire on the steam train to keep the great beasts running and often emerged after a long day onboard, filthy and covered in soot. It was dirty work, and often reserved for the lower class, but their role was essential to keeping the country running on time.

Textile factory work

It seems the world was once full of textile factories and the industry was strong with a steady workforce and high demand for business. Nowadays, many of the textiles jobs previously done painstakingly by hand are pumped out in record time by machines and automated systems.

Switchboard operator

A classic first job! Working on the switchboard was never an easy task and young girls moved at lightening speed to connect calls and manage testy customers on the other end of the line.

Milliner

Gone are the days when ladies and gentlemen wore hats as part of their everyday attire, and gone are the milliners who filled the demand with fedoras, trilbies and porkpie hats for the men, and Juliette caps, fascinators and toques for women.

Milkman

The milkman was a part of everyday life and well-known to families on his local morning run. You’d likely hear him rattling around the corner before you saw him, with glass bottles clinking against each other in the back of his truck. While milk deliveries are still available in some suburbs, the practice died out over the decades with supermarkets proving too big a competitor.

Biscuit factory worker

How these workers managed to get through the day without gobbling down biscuit after biscuit is anyone’s guess, but they did a darn good job of keeping up with the pace and packaging thousands of sweet treats every day. Many of the job in the industry died out as machinery got faster and automation became more popular.

Nurse

They’re still the backbone of our health system and a source of pride around the country. For many young women, becoming a nurse was a statement of independence and proof that they could look after themselves without the help of a husband.

What was your first job?