Rod – A teacher – 1 – in Liverpool, 2 – a seaport, 3 – good at English, 4 – many teachers, 5 – with people
Mike – A fisherman – 6 – not much choice, 7 – to follow in, 8 – the sea, 9 – a useful job
Bob – A computer programmer – 10 – love of maths, 11 – the fashion
Jane – A garden designer – 12 – flowers, plants and trees, 13 – a talent for, 14 – her garden
Tapescript:
Rod, Plymouth, UK
Interviewer: OK, Rod. What influenced your choice of profession?
Rod: Uhm … Well. When I was a small boy I lived in Liverpool, which is a sea port and which also has good transport and communication links and a great football team. So … I thought about being a footballer and I also thought about being either an engine driver or a sailor, but uhm.. .later on I was a bit more realistic. And I was good at English when I was at school, so I had the idea that it would be nice to be a journalist, but it’s very competitive and difficult to get a place in a school of journalism. Uhm … So I thought about travel, and I thought, maybe, I could work in business … import-export … and travel, but my father wanted me to go to university, uhm.. .so we had a fight and he won and I went to university and I studied German. And 1 travelled, I went to Germany and … the university course required a year in Germany and I taught in a school in Dusseldorf and I liked it, to my surprise. I didn’t want to be a teacher because there were so many teachers in my family, my father, my aunts and so on … but after I tried it I really liked it. I enjoyed the interaction with people and so I thought ” Why not?” So, that’s how I became a teacher and I am very happy that I became a teacher.
Interviewer: How long have you been a teacher?
Rod: Uhm … I have to think … Probably, 36 years now, something like that, 36 years, yes.
Interviewer: And you are still teaching …
Rod: And I’m still teaching …
Interviewer: Has your attitude to the profession changed?
Rod: I don’t think so. No … I like working with young people, I like working with other teachers too, so I like working with other professionals. I think one good thing about teaching is that it keeps you in touch with younger people.
Mike, Grimsby, UK
Interviewer: How did you become a fisherman, Mike?
Mike: Well, perhaps you haven’t noticed, but there is not much choice here. There is hardly anything else for a young man to do. Some of my friends stayed at school and went on to university, but I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps. There are generations of fisherman in our family.
Interviewer: And do you have any regrets?
Mike: Sometimes, when the North Sea is rough and the wind is howling … it’s not an easy life. But I love the sea and the feeling of doing a useful job … Don’t ask my wife, though. She worries about me and she doesn’t like the smell of fish which I always bring into the house.
Sandra, London, UK
Interviewer: How did you become a computer programmer, Sandra?
Sandra: You know, I’m not completely sure. It is just kind of happened … I suppose it started with my love of maths. It was my best subject at school. And I used to spend a long time by myself at home, playing on the computer. Then I went to university to study computer science and I suppose I just followed the fashion – straight into a job as a programmer.
Interviewer: Do you enjoy your work?
Sandra: I did at first, but now there is so much stress. Our field is so competitive. I have made my choice, though and it would be difficult for me to change now. Anyway, the money is good and living in London is expensive.
Jane, Bristol, UK
Interviewer: How did you get into designing gardens, Jane?
Jane: That’s easy to answer. I’ve always loved flowers, plants and trees, and I think I’ve got green fingers. So, after I got married, my garden became my hobby. But I didn’t realize that I had a talent for design until one of my neighbours admired my garden and asked me to redesign hers. That went well and so I decided to set up my own business …
Interviewer: And you’ve never looked back …
Jane: That’s right. I have won prizes for my designs and now I have more work than I can handle. I can’t believe how’ lucky I am: I am earning good money by doing something I love.