Similar happened to me as Hamwich.
I was a metallurgist in a private steel company. In the late 70’s the steel industry was “rationalised” under Thatcher/Macgregor. We were deemed unwanted but our order book was spread between the chosen few.
So, what to do? The call for metallurgists was minimal. I and 4 others chose to go to Swansea Uni for a Management Science course and our Prof loved the idea of having experienced mature students amongst his raw, straight from school regulars. The aim was to develop skills that could be used anywhere.
The course was ideal and when going back to work it did, however, mean dealing with many entrenched attitudes and practises. Many were simply organisational, planning, quality related basics.
In some cases the old ways were great and it would have been stupid to change.
