John B. Marek is a storyteller with dirt under his nails who weaves tales inspired by a lifetime immersed in nature. His insightful essays and award-winning fiction delve into the complexities of sustainable living, the heart of rural communities and the thrill of outdoor adventure. You can find more of his writing at johnbmarek.com.
If you page through 1970s-era “Popular Mechanics,” “Outdoor Life” or “Hot Rod”magazines, you’ll stumble across ads for correspondence courses promising to teach you everything from auto repair to bookkeeping to plumbing. These were the skills that kept the world turning back then, and honestly, they’re still pretty relevant today – perhaps with a few modern tweaks. One ad, in particular, caught my eye. “LEARN TYPEWRITER REPAIR,” it shouted in bold, all-caps glory, followed by the enticing promise, “Never Want for Work Again.” I mean, who wouldn’t want that kind of job security?
Fast forward to today, and anyone who signed up for that course would be in their mid-60s (at least) by now. I can’t help but wonder how that whole “typewriter repair” career path panned out for them. Did they ride the wave of typewriter dominance for a few glorious years, only to watch it crash and burn with the rise of computers? Or did they pivot and find a way to keep their skills relevant in a rapidly changing world?
The 1970s were a golden age for typewriters. Offices were filled with the clack-clack-clack of keys, and repair technicians were in high demand. If you knew how to fix a jammed ribbon or realign a misbehaving key, you were basically a hero. So, for a while, that “Never Want for Work Again” promise probably held true. But then, like a slow-motion train wreck, the personal computer rolled in, and suddenly, typewriters were about as useful as a rotary phone at a Gen Z party. I imagine those typewriter repair folks had a few good years, maybe even a decade or two, before the writing was on the wall, or more literally, the computer screen.
But here’s the thing: I’m not here to dunk on typewriter repair. In fact, I kind of admire the optimism of that ad. It’s a snapshot of a time when people believed in the power of learning a trade, any trade, to secure their future. And while typewriters might be relics now, the idea behind that ad isn’t totally outdated. Sure, the specific skill might have gone the way of the dodo, but the mindset – that learning a hands-on, practical skill can set you up for life – is still solid advice. It’s just that today, those skills might look more like coding, graphic design or even drone repair. The world changes, and so do the tools we use, but the need for skilled workers never really goes away.
I like to think that some of those typewriter repair folks adapted. Maybe they transitioned into fixing printers or became IT support wizards. Or maybe they leaned into the nostalgia factor and now make a killing restoring vintage typewriters for hipsters who think they’re “retro chic.” Either way, their story is a reminder that no skill is ever truly wasted. It might evolve, it might shift, but if you’re willing to roll with the punches, you can always find a way to make it work.
So, to anyone who took that “LEARN TYPEWRITER REPAIR” course back in the day: I salute you. You took a chance on a skill that seemed like a sure thing, and even if the world moved on, you probably learned something valuable along the way. And who knows? Maybe your typewriter repair skills are still paying off in ways you never expected. After all, in a world that’s constantly changing, the ability to adapt is the one skill that never goes out of style.