THE SKILL THAT CHANGED MY LIFE.

Hello Hive,

I welcome you all to my blog, thank you for coming. Fasten your seatbelt and let's navigate through the world of "The skill that changed my life" an @indiaunited community weekly prompt this week.
How did you learn it?
After graduation from my secondary school level, becoming a bigger and beautiful girl, my grandma asked me to relocate and join my parents in the city. You can remember I have often told us that I lived and was raised up by my maternal grandmother.

And was always going for a long vacation holidays to my parents and my siblings in the city. Then as I ended my secondary school exams (WAEC), I proceeded to the city to live with my parents.

One day in our church, an announcement was made, a brother wanted to employ people as his printing machines just arrived, he was about employing first hand workers. I went for the job opportunity the next day being a Monday. Getting there, i saw other people too, I was employed to learn the skill of Lithography.
I have never known this skill before neither had I ever seen such heavy printing machines, anywhere.
We were employed to be trained by two of his staff. That was how I was trained in this skill, and I became

A LITHOGRAPHER IN A PRINTING PRESS.
This of course was the skill that totally changed my life. As a young girl, seeing such free opportunity, I embraced it whole heartedly, I was being trained and was paid salary on monthly basis. A very good salary then. After six months time, a letter of employment was given to me and the rest of us. We became full staffer and our salaries increased.

Did you know that my own letter of employment is still in My big madam box till as I'm talking to you guys now after so many years.

How did you learn it?
That skill acquisition and instant employment was, and is still a significant part of my life till today.
Some of us were trained on how to operate the "Offset printing machines* some were trained on how to Cut the printing paper we were using to work, myself was trained as a Lithographer

What is Lithography ?
Lithography is a printing technique by which printing articles are filmed, developed with the A and B chemicals same measurements, retouched at the bulb light retouching table, arranged, processed into metal plates and burned through another machine to establish the images/ pictures or the articles. Before the offset machine engineer chooses the agreed colours with the owner for printing to take effects.

This is how books, news papers, magazines, almanacs, calendars, wedding invitation cards and all sorts of printed materials are processed for people to enjoy. The developers of this printing techniques are known as and are calleed

LITHOGRAPHERS.That was my learned skill
Iam a LITHOGRAPHER.

What struggles did you face?
As a matter of fact, I didn't face much struggles because I was a young girl living with my mom and and my siblings. This skill came to me in a platter of gold. I was called up and was trained to become a LITHOGRAPHER and was being paid while learning.

I understood the techniques very fast, and was confirmed a staff by six months time. So I was always happy to go to work. Except that that A and B chemical mixture had a very disgusting and offensive odour. I never liked the smell, it was a challenge to me despite using nose masks, I was always struggling with the chemical odour.

Remember, these films are processed in a place known as darkroom. Only red bulbs should be on lest other bulbs Wash away the undeveloped processed and unprocessed films in the darkroom. Air conditioner is always on to cool down the negative effects of the chemicals in the darkroom.

How did it change your income, confidence, or mindset? I was in money in those days, every end of the month my salary will come and I will buy whatsoever I needed. I helped my mother being a window at her younger age, I bought a standing fan in our house, bought a second hand black and white television, helped my siblings and my grandma as I could.

It was a very helpful job that came when my family needed such help. My confidence grew, my mother and siblings were proud of me, I had a class of quality good charactered friends. It was not long from then my husband appeared to marry me.😂

Through that skill, I was able to work as an outstanding Lithographer in two other printing houses. A customer recommended me to another newly opened printing houses in the same Aba city.

The C.E.O immediately sent for me and doubled my current pay, I have to resign and went to the new press after like three years there, yet another printing press sent for me again upgraded my current pay, I joined them.

And was working there till I wedding in one faithful Easter, my colleague and directors came for my wedding to the other city where we wedded with a hefty gift. I and my husband then lived in another city.
That was how I resigned from printing press and I couldn't continue my lithographic job after wedding.

I rather joined my husband's business. In those days, he used to apply for traveling visas for different individuals to any countries of their choice. Along the line, my family and I traveled and lived in Hong Kong where I had my second daughter in whose house I'm in now babysitting her second child.😂😂.

My work life and this unexpected skill I was opportuned to acquire by God's grace and mercies brought lots of opportunities, open doors, confidence, which set my life and destiny in higher levels and phases of life. I'm glad I decided to go and learn a skill I never knew existed.

We should always give out our best to every opportunity that comes our way in life. We never know why the opportunities came our way!

Thank you for your time, reading through my blog post.

The pictures are mine.
People's secrets are in their stories.

@ijebest.