I am currently working as a CNC machinist. Previous to that I did a variety of menial labor and drew fat art to make ends meet.
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Following my degree, I worked an engineering job for several years before leaving it to look for something else. I did this before the whole COVID-19 thing happened, so my job search has gotten more difficult than I anticipated.
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Unemployed, but starting a business selling 3D printed tools and designs.
Background in programming but no (finished) education.
I support Credit Control for a sizeable national company, resolving billing issues and overseeing internal processes. I liken it to IT but instead of dodgy cables itās with dodgy people. 
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I am university student of psychopedagogy, i loved draw and crafts uwu
I work as a System Administrator for a software company
I am a caregiver for a chronically ill and disabled family member. I have prospects of indie game development, but I have mostly been trying to hone my art.
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i am a chef working in a local restaurant, before that a mechanical engineer
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Iām a administrator in the Railway industry, with interest and education in CAD and Graphic Design
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I work as a games master at an escape room and make music and games in my spare time 
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Iām currently a full time student studying computer science. Iām in community college earning my associates degree, with plans to transfer to a university to do two more years and graduate with a BS in computer science. So I am in the tech field.
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I work retail-grocery. I manage the produce section of my store. Looking to get out of retail and into IT later, going to be trying to get certified online this year.
Really just want a job I can work from home so I get more time with my partners (and out of the plague zone). My first baby will be born this winter, so, all the more reason I want to be home more.
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Oh my god, oh my god. Itās alive! *small happy clap*
Alright, now I think that I need to do a better job of tending to this topic. Although I neglected to mention it in my initial post, a major reason why I posed this question was because I was curious how peopleās professions help (or donāt really help) them contribute to this community. Adding a poll would have allowed me to see industries at a glance, but I there are a lot of gray areas that would either cause people to default to an āOtherā option or ask for clarifications. Such a survey question would not be a āpoll for the soulā (shoutout @The_Stranger).
However! Some small feedback to some answers will show that Iām exercising at least some responsibility over this thread. Itās the least I can do. Without further ado:
I didnāt know that was a field of study, and the Google result for that subject went right over my head. It must be cool to be studying such a specialized topic, though!
Kudos to you. Caregiving is a noble sacrifice, and Iām glad to hear that you are still able to pursue other passions on the side.
Goodness, what a big career shift! I hope that the change has been rewarding for you. Uhā¦whatās cooking? (Sorry. I couldnāt help myself.)
Sweet! I tried out an escape room for the first time somewhat recently, and I quite enjoyed it. Ironically, my major phobia growing up (and even a bit to this day) is being locked in a room with no escape, so I would never tackle an escape room without a team with me. When you say you make music, do you mean through an instrument or through synthesizers?
Good luck to you! I love your profile pic, by the way. So cute!
Ah, an essential worker (though rarely ever treated as one)! Nice to see you aiming to work your way up and out. Congratulations on expecting a little one! Best of luck to you!
And now, an update on myself. It took me over a year (nine months of which serving as an unpaid intern), but I finally managed to secure my first ever job: an analyst in public administration. My next career ambition is to obtain my Masters in Public Administration, but thatāll be a little down the road from now. Being a public servant primarily tasked with research and presentations means that Iām not super helpful when it comes to game design, but I honestly feel too busy to even join a design team anyways.
Keep the replies coming, everyone! Thanks again for indulging me!
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Itās hard to feel like youāre contributing to society when youāre not doing a traditional do thing, get money job, but my family always tell me itās no big deal. As of recently Iāve felt better about it with the advent of me being in charge of managing important medications, but itās still hard not to feel inadequate sitting shoulder to shoulder with administrators, software developers, and engineers of all stripes, in addition to those society takes for granted, even before the virus.
Is what I do as meaningful? Maybe.
There are some that would reassure me, saying that love is worth more than any amount of money. There are others, however, maybe lesser in number, that would tell me to get a āreal jobā.
I have other complicating circumstances that makes that difficult, but the main factor right now is I imagine those who arenāt as lucky as me to have that love still, and that keeps me going.
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I can play real instruments (Guitar, Bass, Ukelele, Singing) but Iām not usually confident enough to compose with them, so I tend to stick to synths 
ā Escape rooms are awesome, each one tends to be unique too. I very much recomend anyone that likes puzzle solving gives them a go at least once
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Your job is real. Taking care of people is more useful in a practical sense than designing software in my opinion. Having someone there to make sure a person who is sick or elderly or in pain is comfortable and safe is such a huge relief to the people who canāt be there in the same way for their loved ones 24/7. I love people who take care of their family like you do, you are extremely valuable.
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I donāt do anything at all but I can hit the āCome As You Areā riff like crazy. We up
To add on to @Twitchy 's reply, you are absolutely meaningfully contributing to society. Caregiving is about preserving (and sometimes restoring) a personās dignity. As you alluded to, it is a labor of love that is compensated in a different way (i.e., love/appreciation instead of money), but that does not diminish the role in any way. In your case, it may not be a career or a job, but it is a calling that should be equally respected.
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