Initially I worked as a plasma burn table operator in the production line until August 2008. This involved burning out standard and custom parts from an ESAB Shadow to keep the welders supplied so they could produce various lift systems such as A-Jib, B-jib, gantry cranes, etc. Later the recession hit and I moved to the Bridge Crane Department, which was still busy, aiding the assembly and installation of bridge cranes. This involved: buffing incoming rusty I-beams clean, measuring and drilling holes according to prints, running C-track and wiring for the electricians to wire, installing end bumpers and other parts onto the cranes, welding mostly non-load bearing sections and welding up common parts, aiding alignment and assembly of cranes, painting final cranes, readying for shipping, and sometimes aiding installation at the sites. Obtained welding and forklift safety certificates which are now expired. Used bridge cranes and forklifts in production process.

I worked initially at the downtown Appleton Post-Cresent and then in the large Gannett Newspapers plant between Highway 41 & 441, in Northeast Appleton when several newspapers' production was consolidated there in 2000. This involved the process of getting the paper inserted with various ads, organized and sent out to the trucks for shipping which included running ads and paper sections through the inserting and stacking machines, down-stacking the usable bundles by jogging and stacking them on pallets or push carts for reinsertion later, or sending final papers to the trucks directly. This was a part-time position typically 20-35 hours a week.