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No more sign making for me….
After 22 years in the trade (working insane hours most of the time, so actually more like an effective 33 years :lol1: ) I finally started working outside the sign trade.
This was a huge decision for me. I started out my life working in the Sign trade, and has done so ever since. I did not really want to leave the industry, since it would mean that I would loose more than 2 decades of experience, In that time I have grown with industry changes, and has become one of the most recognised individuals in Namibia w.r.t. anything Sign related.
I spent the last few years working in an environment where we dealed mostly with corporate clients. Although some jobs presented a technical challenge, there was virtually no creative input anymore – everything done according to the various client’s C.I manuals. What used to be a creative, challenging and very enjoyable career turned into something boring, with almost a "copy-and-paste" day routine.
I have taken up employment with a welding company. We do general welding works, structural welding works, and also have a manufacturing facility for brick making machines. This means no day is like the previous. I have a lot to learn, but must add that I found my feet very quickly, and is now steaming ahead almost like an old hand 😀 I really enjoy the new job!
I’ll still get to make the occasional sign, though. Since we have a CNC plasma cutter, the odd "sign" job still comes along.
I also have a cnc router for home use, and will channel a lot of my creative effort that way during the evenings and over weekends. I also plan to start printing T shirts again from home (used to do it for many years). Maybe, in a couple of years time I will gravitate back to what I know and love. Then it will be a labour of love again, rather than just labour!
So, in the meantime, I will still peep in at the UKSB from time to time, to see what my online friends are up to.
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3 Replies
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Gert.
The sign industry will miss you.
Good luck in the future.
Simon. -
Best of luck Gert, you’ve helped me on more than a couple of occasions and it’s very much appreciated!
Hugh
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Gert
It sounds like you still want to keep your hand in with the signs else you’d ditch the lotI know what you mean about creativity though as more clients have precise specs to follow
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