[Holocene]

Here's a question for the contributors to this forum (one of my favorites on the site).

If someone were going into education now, what skill set would offer the best balance of

a) employability in the current market, and

b) transferable skills that would be of use during SHTF time?

I wonder about this since while obviously knowledge of the traditional trades are handy commodities in the latter scenario, in the current state of affairs they seem to be in low demand. I also wonder (in the spirit of speculation) about surprise scenarios where inconspicuous or arcane skills suddenly accrue huge currency, or currently prized skills become obsolete (I'm thinking surely the drive towards cloud computing technologies amounts to a wholesale enfeeblement of the workforce when it comes to handling S H'ing the F?)

Do these questions influence your own choices in your professional life? And what kind of reasoning do you apply to hit the Goldilocks sweet spot where skills will be useful both now and in future eventualities?

[Holocene]

Some of my questions are already covered here,

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2056544647

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2056457265

Apologies for t(h)reading old ground

[Agent_47]

Unfortunately we are heading the same way the UK has gone with trades and scientists, towards services and finance which have little value in a SHTF world. None of these are transferable which is in reference to your point b.

What skills would provide a chance of employability currently, tough question to answer. IT professionals are always in demand as as the medical profession. Medical profession skills are obviously useful now and later.

Given the exodus of the builder trades, this area should see a useful employment base especially going forward. It is scary to see how many people do not have the basic skills in plumbing, carpentry, electrical and mechanical.

[bonniebede]

I think the solution is not to think of them as overlapping. Most useful skill now - whatever you can earn money at, and buy land, equipment, stores and training with it.

In the meantime learn, train (usually at hobbyist sort of level), practise skills that you mihgt only use part time now but will be useful after

emergency medicine, first aid, herbal medicine
gardening , urban homesteading, heading towards self sufficiency
hands on skills, plumbing, carpentry etc
low tech fertility awareness/care
survival skills for hiking , camping etc
rainfall capture and purification skills
cooking and butchery
self defence, archery


hmmm/ my main academic skills are not on either list.

[ShadowFox]

I think your better off with some different hobbies more than something you will get employment at like Gardening welding electronics hunting fishing where some of these can become employment id rather know a little about a lot than a lot about a little

[wolfeye]

I think i'll become a travelling hobo dentist post SHTF.
Must learn hypnosis and use as a pain killer.
A lidl pliers set and a soldering iron/solder for filling, then i'm good to go.

Post SHTF there will be no toothpaste or tooth brushes(unless use soot and birch twigs),so there sure will be alot rotten teeth.

A guy would barter his wife just to get rid of the pain.

yup a real money spinner

[sweeney1971]

Is there any Survivalist Groups about where one could practice Survival skills and learn more? (sorry to go off topic)

[sweeney1971]

Doctor, Dentist, Vet, Engineer any of these would be worth their weight in gold come a major crisis.

[mawk]

Originally Posted by wolfeye

I think i'll become a travelling hobo dentist post SHTF.
Must learn hypnosis and use as a pain killer.
A lidl pliers set and a soldering iron/solder for filling, then i'm good to go.

Post SHTF there will be no toothpaste or tooth brushes(unless use soot and birch twigs),so there sure will be alot rotten teeth.

A guy would barter his wife just to get rid of the pain.

yup a real money spinner

There will be a lot less sugar too though. Ancient types died with almost no cavities. Worn teeth of course but in general they had much healthier teeth

[wolfeye]

Ahhh Mawk geez dont say that to me.
Thats it back to the drawing board..my future career destroyed

True it's the sugar and sugary acidic drinks and sipping them for longer perioids that cause decay.
But i'd betting sugary drinks will always be around,cos people are addicted to sugar.
People in Ireland will prob go back growing sugar beet.
Maybe less decay in ancient times cos people died younger.

Still food trapped between teeth causes acid to be made and this causes decay.
Calcium in saliva causes build up of scale and bacteria that cause decay can build up under this.

By looking at Egyptian mummies some were shown to have died in pain from tooth decay and gum infection.

Because of Mawk...My post SHFT career will now be a Black smith
Have to learn how to make shovles,pick axes,forks, horse shoes,chain mail , swords and shields now

[sweeney1971]

You can clean your teeth by rubbing both teeth and gums with sage leaves.

[bonniebede]

Originally Posted by mawk

There will be a lot less sugar too though. Ancient types died with almost no cavities. Worn teeth of course but in general they had much healthier teeth

Just what i was thinking. I remember hearing an archaeolgist saying he did n't know what would surprise ancient peoples more, the state of our dentistry or the state of our teeth!

[bonniebede]

Originally Posted by wolfeye

Ahhh Mawk geez dont say that to me.
Thats it back to the drawing board..my future career destroyed

True it's the sugar and sugary acidic drinks and sipping them for longer perioids that cause decay.
But i'd betting sugary drinks will always be around,cos people are addicted to sugar.
People in Ireland will prob go back growing sugar beet.
Maybe less decay in ancient times cos people died younger.

Still food trapped between teeth causes acid to be made and this causes decay.
Calcium in saliva causes build up of scale and bacteria that cause decay can build up under this.

By looking at Egyptian mummies some were shown to have died in pain from tooth decay and gum infection.

Because of Mawk...My post SHFT career will now be a Black smith
Have to learn how to make shovles,pick axes,forks, horse shoes,chain mail , swords and shields now

Egyptian mummies were the aristicracy, top of the food chain, so they got access to diets rich in sugary things, honey and so on. I think most of us reckon to be ordinary plebs come the day, simple farmer types.

[bonniebede]

Originally Posted by sweeney1971

Is there any Survivalist Groups about where one could practice Survival skills and learn more? (sorry to go off topic)

Not sure what you mean by survivalist groups. There are various bushcraft courses around, people have reccommended. Most survivalist type skills are currently practised as hobbies somewhere - from archery to basket weaving etc etc. The survivalist mindset is simply putting those things together in one package to make yourself more self sufficient, at leat that my understanding of it.

[wolfeye]

Originally Posted by bonniebede

Egyptian mummies were the aristicracy, top of the food chain, so they got access to diets rich in sugary things, honey and so on. I think most of us reckon to be ordinary plebs come the day, simple farmer types.

Now thats an idea a dentist to the aristocrats at least i'd get paid.
Will the ordinary joe's not need a dentist then?