I did for 20 yrs started at age 17,my first job was in housekeeping in a hospital UGH! hated that job and didn't like the hospital enviorment so went to the sewing factories at that time late 1960's there were many sewing factories around some good and some not good the ones that had a union international ladies garment workers union were the better ones to work in I always ran merro/serger machine setting slvs in knit shirts I learned to run a lot of machines in those days one of my favorites was putting snaps on babies sleepwear and cuffs on the shirts...granted it was not all easy and had bad days but it was a pay check and put food on the table and my the end of the 80's all the factories closed then I worked as a nurses aide in nursing homes... finally landed a job at the state hospital for the next 20+ yrs retiring in2006.(ended up working in a hospital anyway) good or bad I gained a lot of sewing experience in those yrs and still use today