My primary occupation for the first 15 years of employment was as an in house maintenance machinist/mechanic. Repairing and rebuilding various engine lathes, mills, auto feed saws and conveyor systems. It was the only thing I knew until my last employer decided to take a machinist/mechanic and make a road service forklift tech. I thought it was the greatest thing since whitebread! Get to visit various customers (and if I did my job right then the best customers would make a point of calling me and only me back for additional service), run the roads, and no supervisor looking over my shoulder all day, every day. Operating out of my service van was like having my own little company. I always had work so my dispatchers pretty much left me to my own devices and schedule. Then along came GPS, lap tops and micro-management. That supervisor peering over my shoulder all day and asking stupid questions was back. Fortunately I was made an offer I couldn't refuse and now I'm back in a "shop" enviroment but I am my own supervisor. Aside from internal, ISO, and the occasional customer audits, I don't have to answer many questions, stupid or otherwise. I miss the variety of road service (along with not having to pay for my vehicle, insurance or GAS!) but I don't think I could go back to it.