Qualifications/Experience/Capabilities/Skills You've Got?

[Latekin]

I was thinking the other day, I'm only 24, but I've ended up running around with a weird assortment of skills and qualifications for what amounts to, basically "I don't know, seemed like a fun idea at the time."

I am qualified to be a teachers aide working with disabled children. I took this course because I wanted to go on to study teaching, but was put off for various reasons.

I did basic dog training and handling through an animal studies class, because I'm a pretty enthusiastic animal person and wanted to be a better owner. Did this one with my partner.

The animal studies class led me to a volunteer/work experience at a small native wildlife park. I now know how to handle a lot of reptiles, birds and mammals. Note: Tawny Frogmouths are adorable. They can also be very friendly. Emus are weird. Also Note: Dingos will pee on everything. And it stinks to high heaven.

My older brother got me into a medieval sword-fighting club. I learned a lot of Germanic longsword fighting basics. I know have my own (unsharpened for safety reasons) sword at home, and while I'm rusty as heck at it these days, it's still a good bit of fun when you have friends around.

Now I'm studying psychology at University, because why not?

That's my weird little assortment? What about yours? Anything unusual? That's come in handy?
Anything useless?

[fireheart]

Let's see...

-I have a degree in Politics and International Relations. I did French, Legal Studies and Gamelan as part of my Arts degree. (the first two things I mentioned were my majors in said degree, the rest were electives/intended majors)
-I started a teaching degree, but my depresison and anxiety stopped me from finishing it off. I do have a Bachelors in Special Ed which is equivalent to a Graduate Diploma in Spec. Ed. This means I can do everything barring actually teaching a class.
-I have my Certified Supervisor status, which means that I can run an after-school care service in the event that the "nominated supervisor" can't make it.
-I am qualified in First Aid/CPR, Asthma Management and Anaphylaxis Management. I also have 2 child protection certificates (one for each state).
-I am learning archery, because archery (I shoot recurve in case anyone asks)

[gremcint]

Electronics Engineering Technician Diploma
Electronics Engineering Technologist Diploma
Bachelor of Technology in Electronics Engineering
Computer Programmer Analyst Diploma
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Currently procastinating my way towards a Masters in Computer modelling.


I dabble in a lot of hobbies, perler beads, circuit bending and lately resin casting. I love it when I get to combine all 3.

[EricKei]

Bachelor - English, with some focus on Linguistics
Associate - Computer Information Systems (Systems Analysis/management role)

Experience in general grocery wage-slave work, foodservice delivery and management, and video game sales & management. That last one is backed up by a lifetime of ...er, *ahem* product knowledge, going back the days of the 2600.

Lots of knowledge about PC hardware, MS-DOS, Windows, etc via experience

A smattering of foreign languages -- a few French words, and tourist-level Spanish, German, and Japanese.

[KuariKaydrith]

Bachelor - double major in English and History, with most of a minor in Folklore, plus some French, German, and Russian.
Certificate - Office Administration with a good helping of business accounting.
And I started with computer sciences all the way back in 1987-88 in the early days of DOS but I honestly have not kept on top of it all...besides, COBOL or Pascal are not common programming languages these days. But I do have experience in tech support and computer/printer repair where I learned more than I probably really wanted to, but enough to keep my home computers and network up and running.

All sorts of experience across the board from slinging burgers at a fast food place all the way through being a Girl Friday in a machine finishing shop where I got to play with power tools. I've done grunt work all the way through management.

[SongsOfDragons]

Major burden is Bachelors in English (with Creative Writing). Mostly I use it to prove I can spell >.<

The rest is experience at using some very weird programmes, especially in the past year which has added a mass load of CAD programmes, ArcGIS and bespoke unique constantly-crashing mapping doobries (including one which is really and truly WORSE THAN PAINT and was so bad I had to stop using it because it was making me have absence seizures! )

Other than that, I have some vague certificate in archery from university (composite, I think), and one of my A-levels is in Classical Civilisation, studying Roman and Greek culture.

[Kittish]

Most of my skills and capabilities are from knocking about picking stuff up here and there. Even most of what most people would consider a 'formal' education is mostly the result of me being a major bookworm whose primary interests range through most of the sciences and well into science fiction (crunchy, please!). I don't have any actual degrees, though I did attend college for two years.

I can drive a big truck, though I haven't kept my CDL. I'm trained as a floral designer, and have 5 years experience arranging flowers.

I can cook. Really cook, not just open boxes and add water. These days that's becoming kind of rare. Been told by more than one person that I'm good enough to be cooking for a high end restaurant. If there was one nearby I'd be tempted to sign up at a cooking school and learn to make fancy pastries and such. Oh well, that's what the internet is for, right?

Leather working is one that I just started doing one day. I've gotten pretty good at it, I make some awesome looking boxes and such. I also make knife sheaths, have made several for people local here and they haven't quibbled over my price for them. I guess I do decent work. In the past year or two I've picked up tooling leather, and have been getting better at that.

I have enough knowledge about computers and electronics to be able to build a working computer from the motherboard up, and to be able to sort out a wiring diagram for a computer case. My current rig is a frankenputer, with parts from at least three other computers all set up in a second hand case (with lots and lots of fans! and filters). I'm honestly surprised that my hard drive (oldest piece of hardware in my case) is still functional. It's at least 6 years old at this point, and has been through three rebuilds.

I can (usually) get plants to grow (inside the house, at least). I've got orchids that have been growing like mad for 4 years now and making flowers every year since I got them. My oregano is trying very, very hard to crawl out of its pot and go exploring. I'm getting a set of shelves for my sunny window, might have room to get maybe a tomato plant or two going, or some more herbs. I would LOVE to have a vanilla orchid, even if I never got it to bloom.

I can do some basic pottery. Nothing fancy, but I can make at least serviceable bowls and plates and cups. I know how to build and use a lye barrel, and how to make soap. I can so some basic carpentry, enough to be able to frame out a small building or build a set of steps. I'm generally competent as a 'fix-it' sort around the house.

I think of myself as a generalist. I'm interested in almost everything, and I learn quickly. I know just enough about a LOT of different things to (usually) be able to stay out of serious trouble. Usually.

[Bardmaiden]

I have an NVQ 2 in Business Administration.

I can also crochet, cross stitch, bead a bit, can repair clothes and cook a nice meal. I also have been asked if I did a degree in history as I have a good knowledge of it but that just comes from being a bounce off for my Dad when he took his degree in History.

[fireheart]

I can also cross-stitch (to some extent), crochet and knit. I've been wanting to teach the kids, but I'm lacking in resources.

[Sapphire Silk]

Well, I'm quite a bit older than most of our members, I think (I'll be 50 in April) so maybe I don't count since I've had a lot of time to learn stuff.

Master of Science degree in Nursing. Certified Emergency Nurse, and an expert witness, but have worked in multiple clinical specialties. I've literally held the beating heart of a living person in my hand. I'm preparing to start Post Master's work in Forensics.

Master of Arts in History. Studied archaeology of the Ancient world (Egypt, Rome, Greece), and the history of the United States (focus on material culture, social and cultural history of the South).

Worked as a graduate assistant in a historical archives, conserving documents that were over 300 years old. Also did some work on a dig in Maryland, and managed to confirm the location of a worker town where I thought it would be (and where everyone else had written it off as being the wrong place).

Black Belt (1st Dan) in Taekwondo. Studied TKD, Hapkido, and American Kenpo off and on for 25 years.

Published author in the RPG community (mostly for Hero Games, but also some things for Gold Rush Games).

Hiked multiple sections of the Appalachian and Florida trails. Have done all of Maryland, all of West Virginia, most of Virginia, parts of Pennsylvania.

Been an open water certified SCUBA diver

Spent a lot of time whitewater and flat water canoeing/kayaking of rivers in Georgia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania.

Crawled through deep caves in Virginia . . . the real deal spelunking, not Loray Caverns.

Done rock climbing in Virginia.

Been a summer camp counselor.

Learned archery as a kid. Learned to shoot firearms as an adult.

Learned to do flooring.

Learned to make chainmail (tedious, hate it).

Learned how to build my own computer from parts.

Learned how to do simple car repairs: replaced my alternator, replaced the stereo, replaced electrical, replaced spark plugs and cables, replaced battery and battery cables.

Know a smattering of Japanese and Latin.

Learned to play the flute and the guitar. I can restring my own guitar. Was in choir in HS and we won some state competitions; I lettered in choir and was selected for the tri county area honors choir (one of 100 seats among 10 high schools).

I'm lousy with plants. I have an african violet in my office that somehow I've managed not to kill in the past three years.

I learned taxidermy in high school, and bird banding. Not licensed in either though.

I made a to scale wooden model of the space shuttle when the prototype (the Enterprise) still existed on paper (first test flight hadn't happened yet) in woodshop.

I dabble with photography. I like nature or animal photography. I suck at photographing real people.

I'm sure there are other skills I have. My life may not have been perfect, but it sure had been interesting

[Teefies2]

Sapphire Silk, not older than me! I'm 57. I have a Bachelor's in Business Administration and a JD (law) degree. Here's what I've done with that LOL:

While in college, earned spending money by working at Bamberger's ( a division of Macy's at the time) and becoming a Resident Supervisor in the dorms (which paid for my room and board). Now days, they don't allow students to hold those positions, but this was in the 80's.

After college, went to law school ... gonna save the world!!!!! The second year, I decided this was NOT what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. But I stuck it out for the degree.

Worked at the Better Business Bureau (remember them?) for 8 years, working my way up to VP at two different branches. After the recession of the early 90's, got laid off and was unemployed for 2 years. I worked temp jobs in offices (data entry, filing, receptionist, etc.)

Got married, had kids. Had a great job while my kids were babies where I could work from home, as Executive Director for a nonprofit environmental organization (The Myakka River Conservancy). When funding ran out, I became a church secretary. Did that for 5 years, then moved to a different church to be Children's Ministry coordinator.

In the meantime, DH decided he wanted to be a pastor, started attending seminary and worked as a Youth Pastor. He did that for 4 years, decided he wanted to move to a church out of state. So, we followed. He lasted at the new church 6 weeks - they fired him (long story, he's not a nice person and not cut out for the ministry). At that point, I knew I had to suck it up and become the wage earner.

I applied at Walmart and Target, just to have income. Walmart called me first. Hooray I'm back in retail. I worked there 3 years while DH was putzing around with a "book fair" company. That company went belly up, but he decided he could do the same thing on his own. So, to be fair, it worked for a while ... we had regular meals and paid our bills. He decided we needed to open an actual bookstore. I quit Walmart to manage that store.

Well, guess what? When the owner (DH) won't let you advertise or actually spend money on inventory, the store dies. In those 2 years, we got behind on every bill, mortgage, what have you.

Once again, I knew I had to suck it up and become the wage earner. I got hired at Walgreen's, where I still am. Ugh retail again. All of you know the hell that it is, and hooray it's Christmas again!!!!!! :::cue the sarcasm emoji:::

I'm sorry. This was a HUGE thread jack, but I feel soooo much better unloading.

[Sapphire Silk]

No worries!

You just demonstrated a key skillset: SURVIVAL!

[firecat88]

I have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems. In the degree program, I learned-

• Systems analysis and design
• Database management
• Website design
• How to throw together a 40-page folder of documentation of a project because I told my group that writing is my forte and I could totally handle it.
• A little bit of everything from HTML to SQL
• Basic accounting stuff
• How to present a finished project to the client and get my portion of it to under 2 minutes

I'm also, because of this degree, CompTIA A+ certified, wherein I learned:

• How to take computers apart
• How to put them back together
• What internal bits do what
• How to troubleshoot various hardware and software issues
• Diagnosing said issues
• Installing and upgrading software

From volunteering at my mom's work, I've learned how to create patient release forms, narcotics use records, narcotics control logs, and how to translate said forms from English to Spanish. I've also done a bit of filing in my spare time of waiting for my mom's shift to be over.

Though I am not the best cook (it's very hard to do much cooking when the stove comes up to your shoulder), my brain is a sponge for random cooking and food trivia. Whenever my sister or my mom have food-related questions, they tend to ask me.

I'm also knowledgeable about random 90s shit that people either loved or have no idea what it is. Especially cartoons.

My fastest typing speed is 107 wpm.

At age 15, a year younger than the minimum age requirement but don't tell anyone, I became a member of a Sweet Adelines chorus. I started out as a tenor but switched to lead within the first few months. I can hit a few bass notes, though, if I try hard enough. I was with the chorus for 7 years before life got in the way.

I can memorize a song after hearing it only a few times and following along with the lyrics. I can also, after watching a movie only once, tell you the names of every single major character in it.

I've dabbled in the following languages- Spanish, German, Japanese, and Gaelic. I understand Spanish better than I actually speak it, though.

I practice escrima. My dad bought me my own pair of sticks when I was 16. My dad also taught me various meditation and breathing exercises that have gotten me through many rounds of having blood drawn.

[fireheart]

Another two skills I forgot about:

-I can play flute. Quite well in fact. While I've never been formally examined, under the Australian Music Exam Board system, I was playing at around a Grade 5 level when I graduated...this is saying something given that I didn't pick up the flute until Year 8. (The most technically difficult piece I've done is John Rutter's "Rondo" from Suite Antique.) I've also dabbled in drums, bass guitar and piano. I can hold my own on a drumkit in a concert band.

-My typing speed is around 80-100wpm. I have never taken a formal typing "class" of any sort. The fact that I can go that fast has scared the everloving crap out of 3 of my managers.

[Teefies2]

No worries!

You just demonstrated a key skillset: SURVIVAL!

Thank you for that!