I know the topic of who to include in a survival group has been tackled elsewhere many times. Usually, the advice is to include obvious skill-sets such as doctor or nurse or EMT, somebody with law enforcement or military experience, a mechanic or handyman, an outdoorsman or hunter, and so on. These are the “easy” ones to consider.
What about “other” skill sets? You know, the ones that could be surprisingly useful to your survival endeavors but maybe not be quite as glamorous as the aforementioned? I’d suggest the following several occupations and/or skill sets to consider:
- Engineer – You might consider a mechanic or handyman as the same thing as an engineer but they couldn’t be different. A mechanic might be good at working on engines but completely useless when it comes to any engineering discipline such as those skills a person like Engineer775 (Scott Hunt) brings to the table. Granted, he’s a rather unique example but he’s precisely what we’re looking for in an engineer. Realize that there are different types of engineers (e.g., civil, mechanical, electrical, etc) so they’re not all created equally. As such, it may be useful to include different types of engineers in the group. The point is that they’re a bit nerdy but the right kind of nerdy for SHTF survival. 😉
- Teacher – A year and a half of homeschooling has shown me that teaching is MUCH harder than it looks! There are some people–like my brother in law–who are born to teach… I am not. That said, there’s plenty of skills that a teacher can bring to the table when it comes to relating ideas and concepts to others, be they children or adults. At the very least teachers often have a calm demeanor that most of society do not possess, in my opinion. Suffice it to say that a teacher is a person worth adding to your group for the simple fact that they may be able to relate ideas and information unlike most.
- Historian – This one is my personal favorite. I’m sure you’ve heard of the phrase “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I’d say those are words to live by. This person isn’t just about teaching ancient Egypt to a group of fourth graders but, rather, about things like being able to explain what an old piece of equipment is, perhaps how a battle worked out, about people from other countries (such as cultural normality and morals), about governments of previous civilizations, and so on. Like engineers, historians can be very specialized too but somebody like the museum historian who the folks on the television show Pawnstars call in from time to time would be ideal; in fact, he would be awesome!
- Linguist – Somebody who can speak a variety of languages could certainly be useful, from Spanish to Mandarin, French, and so on as we may well encounter people who simply don’t speak English. Wouldn’t it be nice to at least have a clue what they’re saying, particularly if they don’t realize YOU know? Hmmm… perhaps it’s time to brush up on a few foreign language dvds?
- Construction – If SHTF goes on long enough you may need somebody who can build/repair structures and do so safely. A person well versed in construction techniques could be just the one you’re looking for to bring society back from the grips of death!
- Gunsmith – There’s a shit-ton I don’t know about firearms. I’d like somebody who works on them daily to teach me and keep them in good working order. Plus they probably have dozens upon dozens of weapons to bring to the group which is a definite a huge benefit!
- Chef / Cook – I don’t know about you but the best I can do is to follow a recipe and hope it turns out alright. If you’re anything like me then how are you going to make a bland meal of rice and beans turn into a magical masterpiece day-in and day-out? Odds are YOU won’t, but a chef can. Seeing as though very real problems like appetite fatigue can bring morale down big time, a chef could be the best addition to your group.
I also briefly considered people like an electrician, plumber, and veterinarian but figured that a mechanic / handyman could fill in for the electrician or plumber in most cases and if you’re lucky enough to have a doctor or nurse in your group then a veterinarian wouldn’t be tops on the list. Otherwise, a veterinarian could be a useful addition. I also briefly thought about including a locksmith but enough brute force or a pair of bolt cutters would work out a lot faster in most cases.
What say you? Are any of the above useful people / skills to include or not? What people and skills would you include that aren’t listed?
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