What’s your dream job?

Bloganuary – Daily Prompt

Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL

Your dream job changes with you. At least for me, that is how I’m currently pondering the answer to today’s daily prompt. I didn’t necessarily have a dream job when I was growing up. It wasn’t until late in high school that I could have answered this question. That young kid would have said “to work for NASA.”

My fascination with model rockets and everything space related is what focused me on college. I received my BS in Aerospace Engineering and then reality hit when I struggled to get a job. I stayed in college and worked toward an MS in Mechanical Engineering. My first job wasn’t with NASA but it was in the aerospace industry. I worked at a company manufacturing turbine blades for aircraft engines.

Through my experiences in manufacturing and the growth of computers, I suppose my next “dream job” would have been in application programming. I enjoyed creating applications and/or systems that benefited the manufacturing process. Put me in front of a computer, give me an idea to run with and step back. I loved creating everything needed to improve a process or make someone’s job easier/better.

I still do, although I don’t get many opportunities to create those types of systems any more.

When my love for Disney was rekindled in the early 2000’s I might have answered to be an Imagineer. That is a term coined within the Walt Disney company for their creative employees. It is created from “Imagine” + “Engineer”. Back then I didn’t think of myself as a creative person so I never attempted to pursue that path.

Recently at work I was having a discussion with my manager and our immediate manager. We were discussing how to handle the work distribution especially in light of now being able to fill a couple open positions. I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up. The response I blurted out, without any thought, was “useful”.

I don’t believe that counts as a dream job but it really has me thinking lately. What is me current dream job?

I want to be part of the solution. I want to contribute, beyond performing day to day tasks. And thinking back to an earlier prompt about my mission, I want to help the young engineers grow.

I suppose now that I have said it out loud I need to get off my butt.

Damn. Some days I enjoy being lazy… :)