Training was good, there were three of us in the training class (which is a lot), and we were all coming to the same post office.
Unfortunately the other two were being trained for a virtually indistinguishable job that pays better (the training was the same). I just didn't have to take the test that they took. I would have. I could have. I don't even hate tests. But because they had taken the test (assessment) they both had seniority over me.
We had a really good group. I enjoyed both of the other guys. I think I have a little more in common with one of them, but they are both cool, and the classes were good.
Actually the classes almost seemed... easy. I mean there was a lot to go over, but I was surprised that with what seemed like a fairly laid back pace, somehow we seemed to cover all the material.
Our trainer was cool too. She works in a different office than we were training in, so we got to see a couple different locations.
Here are some of the things that I noticed:
1) Post office = diversity.
I guess it wasn't too surprising, but as we toured the different post offices I noticed that I was the minority. Still it would be hard to say what if anything was the majority. There were old men and younger men. There were some deeply religious folks, and some who couldn't care less. Ethnicity? yeah they pretty much covered that too. And the women were easily as diverse as the men. And yet with all this diversity, there seemed to be a kind of oneness too. I mean it didn't matter what people were, because we were all in it together. Everyone was on one team.
(well technically there were three teams, 'the rurals,' 'the cities' and 'the clerks'. Interestingly they are all highly compartmentalized. You're either one or the other, you can't be both, and usually you pick one track and then stay on it.)
2) There is no dress code. Not for Rural carriers anyway.
Technically there is a bit of a dress code... I have to wear closed toed shoes, preferably with a strong leather upper. Oh and I can't where a postal uniform, but other than that I should be good to go. Oh yeah, and no political messages (at least not that advocate one side or another).
3) The third thing that I noticed was that some of these REALLY liked there jobs.
Now this could be, at least for the rural carriers, that they are paid by the route, so if perchance they finish early, they still get the same days wage. Or it could be that there's a bit of variety to their job, or who knows, maybe they're just crazy, but whatever it is some of them seem pretty happy, and that was pretty impressive.
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