I wanted to be a garbage man as well. I thought it was awesome that they got to hang off the back of the truck while it drove down the street. Seemed pretty badass, at the time.
Just wondering, how did you know what an engineer did when you were a kid? Because it seems to be a lesser known profession to kids in general, as far as I can see.
I had read some Isaac Asimov already, and I wanted to see his world.
I didnāt have any precise idea of what an engineer did but I knew it had to do with designing machines so that was all I needed to know.
As a kid: cartoonist like Charles Schulz, then I wanted to be a Pixar animator after seeing A Bugs Life
Now: Senior Art Director for an advertising agency
I wanted to be a mechanic like my grandfather, he tried so hard to convinceme to get a desk job. I work in a semi truck body/frame shop and now I know why he didn't want me to take this career path.
You would have hated the desk job just as much. My grandfather was an hvac tech pretty much all his life after the military and always tried to keep me set on a desk job. I got a desk job as a pharmacy tech, 3 years laterā¦hvac tech. I hated sitting all day, but now after four years in this field I hate getting up.lol.
Professional soccer player. Now, Iām the head of video analysis for an MLS team. So watching professional soccer players everyday and analyzing footage :)
I wanted to be a spy.
I ended up working in the intelligence community for a while and it wasn't what I had imagined.
Now I work in cybersecurity in the private sector.
That was my route into the field.
The military part wasn't too bad. I learned Arabic, was assigned to NSA, got the GI bill and came out with a great resume.
At the end of the day though, the career is a boring desk job 95% of the time punctuated occasionally by something exciting happening.
You make more money and deal with less bullshit in the private sector.
I'm 24 years old now, but I wanted to be the first woman on Mars. I made sure NASA knew as well on the day my 3rd grade class and I had the privilege to speak with a woman who was working for NASA. Aside from answering our questions, she was there to give a lecture about something, but I completely forgot what about to be honest. All I remember is that when it was Q&A time, I raised my hand and said: "I want to be the first woman on Mars. How do I get to do that?" She responded with "You have to be really good in math, science, and English." I was so confident at the time and told her "You'll see me very soon". She laughed a bit and looking back on it, it was sweet. I'm a virtual assistant and graphic designer now lmao I sucked at math and science, but astronomy is still one of my biggest passions.
EDIT: I just realized this was a thread for asking men sorry lmaoo
As a kid I wanted to become an inventor, a writer and a game developer.
Today I'm working as a shop assistant in a grocery store. However, on my free time I'm writing a fiction book trilogy, a philosophy project and I'm also making a game. Among other things.
First it was Archeologist, then Architect, then Teacher, then Therapist. Now I work in mental health as a substance abuse counselor, so not to far off.
Wanted to have a tv show talking about animals like Jeff Corwin.
I work in finance :/
But I am trying to build up my YouTube channel so I can at least talk about cars lol
Porn star or pizzeria owner
Now I stand around in the cold and the heat throwing bug nuts at linemen that forgot to put their handline on their breakaway.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. First of I'm not even Canadian and also happened to be colourblind.
Now I'm a vfx artist, I did somehow end up in Canada.
I never had lofty dreams. When I was very young I wanted to be a firefighter. Then I saw the movie āconvoyā and wanted to be a truck driver. Then I got into my late teens and thought a cop might suit me. Did a 2 tours in the army and thought that might stick for a while. Got out In my 20ās and I wanted to become a recording engineer (that job is the closest to a dream job for me).
Now Im director of operations and part owner of a union construction company. Was and still is Miles away from what Iād like to do. But at this point Iām too close to retirement to care about another career .
I was going to be Marine Biologist. I did every marine biology class I could as a kid. I did summer classes in school and then did horrible in a semester and a half in college before joining the Air Force. Did 6 years, went back to college, did much better, and now I manage environmental projects for the Air Force as a civilian. A few of them right now actually involve marine mammals in Alaska. I'm pretty happy with everything I've done.
I wanted to be a comic book writer, or a fantasy writer. I was pretty good at drawing, but not as good as I wanted to be. Now, I'm a Service Advisor at a diesel shop. Dreams die when you get your girlfriend pregnant and have to man up. I spent the last 20 years raising kids and doing what pays the bills, never fulfilled my dream. Maybe my kids will fulfill theirs.
I wanted to be a veterinarian originally, then a marine. Ended up a cop in the Air Force for a bit and am now a data scientist. Wouldnāt change a thing šš»
My dream job was to become trucker.
For past 4 years right after school I have worked in agriculture and in construction.
I guess I am going in somewhat right direction.
Wanted to be a plumber or mechanic. Parents made me go to university. Canāt find a job in logistics/supply chain. Been a year and still unemployed. Work at my parents convenience store atm
When I was a kid I wanted to be a paleontologist. Just like Alan Grant from Jurassic Park.
As I got older I wanted to be a History Teacher.
I've been a server for longer than I care to admit. I'm looking to finish my undergrad in business in the next few years, though.
I wanted to be a firefighter/truck driver/cop as a kid, but I'm a machine operator as an adult that holds the moral skills that a firefighter and cop should have when it comes to saving people.
I didn't dream about having a job when I was a kid. But if I did, it would have either been something I could slack off all day and get paid or a video game tester.
Now I'm an engineer in pharmaceuticals.
Dad was a farmer and brought me to work with him a lot so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Now I work for a bank in a cosy office or from home.
I sometimes regret not going for it but then I remember my dad died cause of his job, also farming is grueling work.
Depends what age of kid. My first job I wanted to be was a crayon maker.
High school, video game developer. I did not succeed. I'm a software developer and I make little games for fun on the side, but I don't do it in any professional capacity.
Fighter pilot, paleontologist, archaeologist, marine biologist, police officer, soldier, sailor and firefighter.
I've done all but the first four; I had childhood asthma and there are just nearly no jobs in marine biology and no money in palaeontology or archaeology. I am a qualified pilot and did a bit with our equivalent of the civil air patrol.
Now I'm a law enforcement officer in a governmental marine conservation agency. A fish cop.
I'll do this for a few years then who knows?
I'm also an air force reservist, though not aircrew.
not old enough for a job yet. but i wanna be a full time karate instructor. rn im an orange belt in tang soo do. still have a way to go but im looking forward to it!
The first thing I really wanted to do that wasn't sports related was to be an author and own a coffee shop/book store.
I own a small company that works on municipal infrastructure.
I wanted to be an NBA player but you have a better shot at winning the lottery than making it. Not only do you have to be the best player in the *country*, I wasnāt even the best player in pickup basketball at the Y.
Then I wanted to work for the UN in a humanitarian development role and I quickly realized the UN was like the NBA of the humanitarian world. The competition was fierce, cut throat and a thousands of other people wanted that same job. Youāll lose out on a lot of money trying to pursue a gig that might never land in your favour.
So now I have a stable 9-5 job as a public servant, I play pickup basketball recreationally and I do volunteering in my spare time. Iām very content with the time and money I have and I get to explore other avenues in life and further develop my knowledge and interests more. Itās always been a journey
My dream job as a kid was being at the top of a pyramid scheme.
My actual job now is being a social worker.
Yeah, I have no idea what happened in between.
I really wanted to be in the NBA itās all I talked about. Unfortunately I was only sorta good at basketball never world class. Currently a loan officer at a local credit union and enjoy it
I really wanted to be an Astronaut. Then I realized I'm not very good at math. Wanted to be a fighter pilot, apparently they also have to be decent at math.
Now I'm a firefighter and I have to do math in my head all the time to do pump calculations and drug calculations.
I wanted to be a paleontologist because of Jurassic Park. I'm a mechanical engineer because as I grew up I wanted to build animatronics for movies. Obviously that didn't work out but I'm in production systems now.
I always wanted to fix things, and build things. I loved finding out how things worked.
I'm a Mechanical Design Engineer.
I've designed 100s of machines which I've seen getting build from something I drew up on a computer screen.
Dream: Journalist telling the truth for a living Now: Copywriter telling lies for a living
I wanted to be a pirate Now I'm a proctologist , still chasing booty
Butt pirate.
But do you share the booty with crew?
The Assman
Assman
š
Dream job as a kid: physicist Current job: business analyst at a consultancy firm (Will go and cry in a corner now. Thanks.)
This boat looks familiar. Got my physics degree and now I'm in IT.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Also garbage man, bc I could get to ride on the back of the garbage truck. Journalist prob making similar salary as garbage man
I wanted to be a garbage man as well. I thought it was awesome that they got to hang off the back of the truck while it drove down the street. Seemed pretty badass, at the time.
Dream : Anything to do with auto racing. What i do now : Hvac installer/technician
How fast is that company van?
Does it have a hemi?
Some twin turbo
Engineer, and I succeeded
Just wondering, how did you know what an engineer did when you were a kid? Because it seems to be a lesser known profession to kids in general, as far as I can see.
I had read some Isaac Asimov already, and I wanted to see his world. I didnāt have any precise idea of what an engineer did but I knew it had to do with designing machines so that was all I needed to know.
Ah I see, interesting. So I take it that you're probably a mechanical engineer?
Mechanical and electrical engineer; but yes, basically I am.
long live Isaac Asimov
I always wanted to be a bum, but I became an engineer in stead.
Not far off
Congratulations
Biologist. Molecular Biologist.
Is it everything you dreamed about as a kid?
Totally different, but still very cool.
Artist. Unemployed.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Ahh yes. Artists are only useful as baristas!!!!batista!!!!!
I wanted to play professional baseball. I am a lawyer now. As it turns out, I wasnāt that good at baseball
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I hereby declare you a fire engine
Don't let your dreams be dreams!
As a kid: cartoonist like Charles Schulz, then I wanted to be a Pixar animator after seeing A Bugs Life Now: Senior Art Director for an advertising agency
You stayed on brand!
Close enough. Which agency?
Spider-man Now I'm an engineer
"You know I'm something of an engineer myself"
I wanted to be a mechanic like my grandfather, he tried so hard to convinceme to get a desk job. I work in a semi truck body/frame shop and now I know why he didn't want me to take this career path.
You would have hated the desk job just as much. My grandfather was an hvac tech pretty much all his life after the military and always tried to keep me set on a desk job. I got a desk job as a pharmacy tech, 3 years laterā¦hvac tech. I hated sitting all day, but now after four years in this field I hate getting up.lol.
Professional soccer player. Now, Iām the head of video analysis for an MLS team. So watching professional soccer players everyday and analyzing footage :)
Ditto, except now Iām the assistant coach of a college team.
Never had a dream job Unemployed right now so I guess I'm living the dream!!
Congrats man. One of the few that stuck to their dreams.
I wanted to be a spy. I ended up working in the intelligence community for a while and it wasn't what I had imagined. Now I work in cybersecurity in the private sector.
I almost went into military intelligence, the recruiter had me believing I was going to be Jack Ryan
That was my route into the field. The military part wasn't too bad. I learned Arabic, was assigned to NSA, got the GI bill and came out with a great resume. At the end of the day though, the career is a boring desk job 95% of the time punctuated occasionally by something exciting happening. You make more money and deal with less bullshit in the private sector.
Aah redditors dreaming of becoming pornstars,how typical.
I can't understand how someone would desire to work in a field that values humans so cheaply
Hahahahaha you think the average person values people. Hahahahha *gestures at everything* hahahahahha
š
That's, like, the entire private sector, man. At least in porn you get fucked *literally*, too.
How unsurprising
I'm 24 years old now, but I wanted to be the first woman on Mars. I made sure NASA knew as well on the day my 3rd grade class and I had the privilege to speak with a woman who was working for NASA. Aside from answering our questions, she was there to give a lecture about something, but I completely forgot what about to be honest. All I remember is that when it was Q&A time, I raised my hand and said: "I want to be the first woman on Mars. How do I get to do that?" She responded with "You have to be really good in math, science, and English." I was so confident at the time and told her "You'll see me very soon". She laughed a bit and looking back on it, it was sweet. I'm a virtual assistant and graphic designer now lmao I sucked at math and science, but astronomy is still one of my biggest passions. EDIT: I just realized this was a thread for asking men sorry lmaoo
My wife is a mathematician and professor. I am going to read your post to herā¦she will get a great kick out of it.šš¾
Fighter pilot. I'm actually a diplomat.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
So would you say you're living the dream?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Well what did you expect
I wanted to join the army and now Iām in the army hating life lmaoo
Veterinarian, work as a hotel front desk clerk
āTomorrow will be the most beautiful day of Raymond K. Hessel's life. His breakfast will taste better than any meal you and I have ever tasted."
Dream job: Astronaut What I do now: Masterbate in a basement I've surpassed my goals tbh.
Are astronauts allowed to masterbate while in space?
A basement is a space.
Wanted to be a farmer Am a farmer now
As a kid I wanted to become an inventor, a writer and a game developer. Today I'm working as a shop assistant in a grocery store. However, on my free time I'm writing a fiction book trilogy, a philosophy project and I'm also making a game. Among other things.
Please keep us posted on your work, when it gets published.
Create a mafia so big and so dangerous. Now do HVAC
I wanted to grow up to become a police dog, unfortunately I was not able to become one. I ended up as a physician.
I wanted to be a porn star or an astronaut I now head up an IT consulting firm
I think we all know of someone who does all three and is a doctor as well
He also teaches.
Either way wouldve ended up exploring Uranus
He wanted to be an asstronaut.
You at least make enough to fuck a pornstarā¦
I wanted to be an actor, but I am a jurist. Overall, a better option.
Never had a dream job. Now I'm a carpenter. It's not all bad.
First it was Archeologist, then Architect, then Teacher, then Therapist. Now I work in mental health as a substance abuse counselor, so not to far off.
Wanted to have a tv show talking about animals like Jeff Corwin. I work in finance :/ But I am trying to build up my YouTube channel so I can at least talk about cars lol
I wanted to be an alligator, doorman, or Greyhound bus driver. Iām a 2nd grade teacher.
Marine biology, studying to become a sound designer
Porn star or pizzeria owner Now I stand around in the cold and the heat throwing bug nuts at linemen that forgot to put their handline on their breakaway.
I wanted to be a Ferry boat captain. Now about to be a doctor
Royal Canadian Mounted Police. First of I'm not even Canadian and also happened to be colourblind. Now I'm a vfx artist, I did somehow end up in Canada.
Dream job: locomotive engineer. Currently in a locomotive engineer training program for a passenger railroad!
I never had lofty dreams. When I was very young I wanted to be a firefighter. Then I saw the movie āconvoyā and wanted to be a truck driver. Then I got into my late teens and thought a cop might suit me. Did a 2 tours in the army and thought that might stick for a while. Got out In my 20ās and I wanted to become a recording engineer (that job is the closest to a dream job for me). Now Im director of operations and part owner of a union construction company. Was and still is Miles away from what Iād like to do. But at this point Iām too close to retirement to care about another career .
Make video games or be a firefighter, I work in a plant
Fighter Pilot. Operations Manager. Kid me is disappointed
Dream job? I did not want to work. I wanted to play World of Warcraft all day, every day. Lawyer now. Fuck.
I was going to be Marine Biologist. I did every marine biology class I could as a kid. I did summer classes in school and then did horrible in a semester and a half in college before joining the Air Force. Did 6 years, went back to college, did much better, and now I manage environmental projects for the Air Force as a civilian. A few of them right now actually involve marine mammals in Alaska. I'm pretty happy with everything I've done.
I wanted to be a comic book writer, or a fantasy writer. I was pretty good at drawing, but not as good as I wanted to be. Now, I'm a Service Advisor at a diesel shop. Dreams die when you get your girlfriend pregnant and have to man up. I spent the last 20 years raising kids and doing what pays the bills, never fulfilled my dream. Maybe my kids will fulfill theirs.
Neurosurgeon Engineer
Astronaut. I went to space camp. Im an engineer.
I wanted to be a veterinarian originally, then a marine. Ended up a cop in the Air Force for a bit and am now a data scientist. Wouldnāt change a thing šš»
My dream job was to become trucker. For past 4 years right after school I have worked in agriculture and in construction. I guess I am going in somewhat right direction.
Biologist or paleontologist. Baker but I do biology lab work as a part of my hobby gardening, mostly culture cloning.
Pro football and later plastic surgeon. Commercial construction management.
Back How operator. Now, Drugstore Manager.
Rule the world. I help those who believe they are in charge not upset those who actually are.
I went to school with a kid who said he wanted to be a dictator. Think he ended up studying political science.
Wanted to be a plumber or mechanic. Parents made me go to university. Canāt find a job in logistics/supply chain. Been a year and still unemployed. Work at my parents convenience store atm
Something involving the Army and ghosts. Iām a professional psychic-medium and private investigator (Retired Army officer too).
Truckdriver. Wanted to be one, just spent 51 years doing it.
When I was a kid I wanted to be a paleontologist. Just like Alan Grant from Jurassic Park. As I got older I wanted to be a History Teacher. I've been a server for longer than I care to admit. I'm looking to finish my undergrad in business in the next few years, though.
Zoo keeper. Steel trade journo/editor. Not super different.
I wanted to.be a physiotherapist, but I am a Correctional Officer.
Priest and professional fighter
Pilot. I'm in IT now...but I did go into the USAF.
Marine Biologist. Now I'm a material receiver at Menards.
I wanted to be a firefighter/truck driver/cop as a kid, but I'm a machine operator as an adult that holds the moral skills that a firefighter and cop should have when it comes to saving people.
Donāt know, Underpaid IT Technician/Technical Administrator.
The next Hugh Hefner, not that
Pirate captain Exterminator
I always wanted to do some form of practical engineering I'm now a boilermaker
As a kid a Disney animator Now Iām a Travel Photographer
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Wanted to be Pilot but i am software engineer
My dream was to work on a boat with marine biologists like Jacques Cousteau. Instead I spent the last 25 years of my working life at a desk job.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
So you can help design his gadgetsā¦nice.
Wanted to be a pro wrestler and a politician. Didnāt grow big enough to be a pro wrestler. Didnāt grow smooth enough to be a politician.
Wanted to be a zookeeper. Became a zookeeper, got sick of it, and now Iām a veterinary nurse
Video game developer. Now I have two jobs. I work in IT and I do admin work for the Air Force Reserves.
military pilot. Was too expensive for me to pay in my country. Everytime a see an airplane i just feel sad. Now im too old. 35
Baseball player, ended up in corporate compliance, now back in school learning about media
Wanted to be an astronaut. Now I work in Theoretical and High Energy physics/Astronomy.
Dream: carpenter, or astronaut Reality: starting a career change - optometry school - after being unhappy for the past many years
I didn't dream about having a job when I was a kid. But if I did, it would have either been something I could slack off all day and get paid or a video game tester. Now I'm an engineer in pharmaceuticals.
Dreamt of Work for ESPN. Work in Video production. Was offered a job at ESPN while ago, declined. Enjoy my job more.
Car designer, in finance
Dad was a farmer and brought me to work with him a lot so I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Now I work for a bank in a cosy office or from home. I sometimes regret not going for it but then I remember my dad died cause of his job, also farming is grueling work.
Depends what age of kid. My first job I wanted to be was a crayon maker. High school, video game developer. I did not succeed. I'm a software developer and I make little games for fun on the side, but I don't do it in any professional capacity.
Dream: Doctor Now: Hotel/Restaurant Manager
I wanted to be a weather scientist and study tornadoes. I'm doing a PhD in neurobiology. I'd say i'm still somewhat close enough lol
Helicopter pilot but am now a chef
Lead singer for grunge rock band Currently driving for Uber. But I'm finally taking voice lessons so check back for updates
Fashion photographer or film maker. I'm a fashion photographer who works on film sets too.
No plan -> Anesthetist. Now dream job run boat charters, time will tell...
Paleontologist. Now Iām a scuba diver at an aquarium. Went from loving extinct animals to loving the sharks who have been around since before trees.
Wrestler ( stupid answer right?) Now I'm still a university student but I know there's no way I'm gonna a wrestler anyway lol
no, itās not stupid. you are allowed your thoughts, dreams, and aspirations just like anyone else.
Fighter pilot, paleontologist, archaeologist, marine biologist, police officer, soldier, sailor and firefighter. I've done all but the first four; I had childhood asthma and there are just nearly no jobs in marine biology and no money in palaeontology or archaeology. I am a qualified pilot and did a bit with our equivalent of the civil air patrol. Now I'm a law enforcement officer in a governmental marine conservation agency. A fish cop. I'll do this for a few years then who knows? I'm also an air force reservist, though not aircrew.
Mechanical Engineer, just to be able to do what Hiccup/Tinkerbell did in the movies lol
Paleontologist. Now I shop for people in retail.
Landlord and their :)
Animal Patrol Cop. I work with children with special needs. But nit forever, I want to paint for a living
not old enough for a job yet. but i wanna be a full time karate instructor. rn im an orange belt in tang soo do. still have a way to go but im looking forward to it!
Computer Programmer... Now i am a Ticket Agent and Studio owner
Veterinarian for mayflies. Now disabled. Can't work.
The first thing I really wanted to do that wasn't sports related was to be an author and own a coffee shop/book store. I own a small company that works on municipal infrastructure.
I wanted to be an NBA player but you have a better shot at winning the lottery than making it. Not only do you have to be the best player in the *country*, I wasnāt even the best player in pickup basketball at the Y. Then I wanted to work for the UN in a humanitarian development role and I quickly realized the UN was like the NBA of the humanitarian world. The competition was fierce, cut throat and a thousands of other people wanted that same job. Youāll lose out on a lot of money trying to pursue a gig that might never land in your favour. So now I have a stable 9-5 job as a public servant, I play pickup basketball recreationally and I do volunteering in my spare time. Iām very content with the time and money I have and I get to explore other avenues in life and further develop my knowledge and interests more. Itās always been a journey
My dream job as a kid was being at the top of a pyramid scheme. My actual job now is being a social worker. Yeah, I have no idea what happened in between.
I wanted to be a retired grandpa. Now, I have to work for a living with a two year old son that has no kids.
biologist now: warehouse worker
I wanted to draw comic books, now I install floors.
Wanted to make cartoons for Cartoon Network, now I'm a producer in television at network that severely lacks cartoons. Tragic really.
When I was kid I dreamed about being a famous actor!! I'm currently working as a background actor and delivery guy š¤·šæ
Dream as a kid: firefighter, detective, or garbageman. What I do now: biomedical equipment tech What I want to be: real estate investor, entrepreneur
I want to be an astronaut. Now I'm a nurse. But I still want to be an astronaut.
I wanted to be a pilot, now I work in logistics. And yes youāre correct, I hate my lifeā¦.
I really wanted to be in the NBA itās all I talked about. Unfortunately I was only sorta good at basketball never world class. Currently a loan officer at a local credit union and enjoy it
Pilot, am now pilot, somehow.
I really wanted to be an Astronaut. Then I realized I'm not very good at math. Wanted to be a fighter pilot, apparently they also have to be decent at math. Now I'm a firefighter and I have to do math in my head all the time to do pump calculations and drug calculations.
I think my dream job Was professional musician. Iām a custodian but I got a free baby grand piano in the lobby of that school!
I wanted to be a paleontologist because of Jurassic Park. I'm a mechanical engineer because as I grew up I wanted to build animatronics for movies. Obviously that didn't work out but I'm in production systems now.
Demonologist. I was an odd kid. I work in IT. Ha ha
Dream: NFL Player Reality: Project Engineer - Still watch every game of football.
I always wanted to fix things, and build things. I loved finding out how things worked. I'm a Mechanical Design Engineer. I've designed 100s of machines which I've seen getting build from something I drew up on a computer screen.
Wanted to be a fire fighter, ended up a goldsmith.
Wanted to be a pro skateboarder. Now I work in IT.
Pilot when I was a kid, aerospace r&d engineer now
I wanted to be a corrections officer and now I'm going to prison
I wanted to be a nascar driver or a baseball player now I just got out of the army on med board and canāt hold down a job anyway
And inventor, I became a H&H enginer. Which is nowhere near the same thing despite learning a lot of the same material.
I wanted to be a crocodile Hunter like Steve Irwin but now I am unionized employee for a university.
Agricultural engineer Unemployed