Workin’ For A Livin’

Exactly 45 years ago today, I started my first job, working for Barclays Bank. Just like today, it was the Tuesday after a Bank Holiday Weekend. Unlike today, there were no such things as Apps or Online Banking. No contactless payment methods - in fact, Debit Cards hadn’t been invented and ATMs were few and far between, having only been introduced 10 years previously.
Consequently, all the local businesses had three days of takings in the form of cash and cheques, which needed paying in, so you can imagine how busy it was that day. Certainly no time to spare for some young lad fresh out of school, who hadn’t got a clue about work in general, never mind the specifics of banking! I think I was sent home at 5 just to get me out of the way - everyone else was there until 8 before the work was completed.
After that somewhat brutal introduction to the world of work, I did manage another 22 years - and wangle a transfer to the Lake District - before taking Voluntary Redundancy in 2000. I then had a complete change of career, doing mobile car bodywork repairs for a few years, before rejoining the bank in 2004. But I only managed another 6 years before finally realising that - despite having reached the dizzying heights of Branch Manager - I was no longer suited to the modern world of finance. Though, by the time I finally left, new entrants no longer started on the first working day of the week, so there had been some changes for the better!
But I did then spend ten very happy years as a freelance trainer before deciding to retire in 2020 as Covid put an end to the sort of face to face practical training I was doing.
Strange to think that when I started, not only were you allowed to smoke at your desk, but corporate branded ashtrays were provided for you to indulge your filthy habit! And I know the red pens were only to be used for something specific, but I can’t for the life of me remember what.
Different times…