A long time ago ...

I was reminded the other day about my early days in an office. I took shorthand and typing at school but wasn't brilliant at it. I persuaded mum to let me leave school at the Easter break, I had taken my CSEs and was not going on to take GCSEs. I left school with no job but was eventually offered a trainee secretarial position at International Combustion. The scheme meant we spent 10 weeks in a different office learning the ropes, in some offices it was 20 weeks. We were given time out to do shorthand, typing and audio typing lessons in their in-house training school. As the examinations were Pitman only I went to college in the evenings and took RSA shorthand and typing, using the EMFEC board of examinations as a stepping stone up. I also took O'level English Language for which I gained a B. I learnt to type on a manual typewriter and was told if I didn't make it as a secretary then my over use of Tippex would assure me a job as a painter and decorator!

It's quite amazing to have grown up with technology that has progressed so very fast, going from a manual typewriter to an electric one, then onto electronic which quickly progressed to using LED screens and memories. Finally moving onto a word-processor, which is basically just a giant typewriter with a memory and full screen; then onto a computer with a word-processing package followed by the now more familiar PC. Although some times I do feel things move too quickly for me, especially the software, I really don't like what Microsoft does to improve things.

I like this link http://www.usbtypewriter.com/ although I'm not sure I could go back to the manual keyboard.