History Main / WorkplaceAcquiredAbilities

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* ''{{Aliens}}''. After Ripley is stripped of her flight license, the only job she can get is at the docks running loaders and forklifts. This later comes in useful when she has to drive a heavy armoured personnel carrier, and use an exoskeleton-forklift to battle the Queen Alien.

* One of the books that can be found in ''TheElderScrolls'' series tells the story of a young man who was able to learn the skills he needed to become an [[AxCrazy axe wielding]] [[PsychoForHire assassin]] through the chores he was put through while growing up on a farm by an EvilUncle (his first [[AssholeVictim victim]]). You can read [[http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Axe_Man The Axe Man here]] courtesy of the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages.

* ''ResidentEvil: Outbreak'' has several characters who have special skills based off of their occupations. George is a doctor and can make medicine while David is able to combine items and make new weapons using duct tape on account of being a plumber.

** That's the movie. In RobertEHoward's stories, he was enslaved only after he was as strong as he was.

* Jay and Grant from ''{{Ghost Hunters}}'' often use the same skills they use from their plumbing day jobs in order to debunk and solve alleged hauntings.
* In the 2nd episode of ''Series/{{Band of Brothers}}'', Buck Compton throws a grenade at a fleeing German soldier, which hits him in the back and explodes. Buck was the star catcher for UCLA's baseball team so this kind of feat under pressure was probably natural for him. Inverted in the same episode, however, as he tries to throw another grenade, gets bumped, and drops it amongst his own men causing momentary panic.

* The Box Ghost from ''DannyPhantom'' looks like a longshoreman and is first seen at a port. Hence his status as master of "All things cardboard and square".

[[AC:{{Real Life}}]]

* Inverted in ''KimPossible'', Ron gets running experience while doing some [[CouldHaveBeenMessy Deadly Dodging]] and makes use of it in the local sports team. Played straight in the same series, as Kim uses her Cheerleading moves to dodge death rays and other obstacles.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': Donna Noble, Super Temp.

* Link works as a goatherder in Ordon Village in ''TheLegendOfZelda: TwilightPrincess''. His goat-wrangling skills, demonstrated in the early parts of the game, come in handy later -- first to get past the Gorons guarding the trail to Death Mountain, and [[spoiler:in the endgame to wrangle Ganondorf's beast form]].
** Taken to an even more direct extreme in ''SpiritTracks'', where Link is conveniently trained to be a railroad conductor -- the only job that will allow him to travel around New Hyrule as needed to complete the adventure.

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* In ''HayateTheCombatButler'', this is the explanation given for many of Hayate's non-butler skills. Between the jobs he did for his father and the jobs he did to support himself since he was eight (he's only sixteen at the time of the story). His skills as a butler have a completely different origin.

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* Andy in ''TheGoonies'' was able to save her friends from a deadly trap on account of the fact she took piano lessons when she was four years old.
* Towards the beginning of the fantasy movie The Monkey King, the main character mentions that he's a champion at his business's racquetball tournaments. Towards the end, he uses a sword like a racket to [[PlayingTennisWithTheBoss knock back the Big Bad's energy blasts]].

* In the 2nd episode of ''{{Band of Brothers}}'', Buck Compton throws a grenade at a fleeing German soldier, which hits him in the back and explodes. Buck was the star catcher for UCLA's baseball team so this kind of feat under pressure was probably natural for him. Inverted in the same episode, however, as he tries to throw another grenade, gets bumped, and drops it amongst his own men causing momentary panic.

* ''{{Chuck}}'' frequently uses his IT skills gained at the Buy More either on missions or as cover.

* ConanTheBarbarian became so strong because in his youth, he was a slave who did some really heavy work.

** That story also illustrates, almost perfectly, how many Lost in ''ChangelingTheLost'' have "benefitted" from their durance.

* Sena of ''Eyeshield21'' began developed his exceptional footwork as a result of being bullying into (literally) running errands throughout his school years. He was briefly taught some proper running technique by a football-playing friend of his beforehand, though, and has to put in a lot of hard work to refine his skills for use on the field.

* Takumi from InitialD learns his drifting skills by making a nightly tofu delivery up and down a mountain for five years. The only reason he bothered with the drifting, rather than just driving normally? Driving was boring, and he wanted to get home faster. He doesn't even realize exactly what it is he's doing before he begins racing.
* This is the explination given for many of [[HayateTheCombatButler Hayate's]] non-butler skills. Between the jobs he did for his father and the jobs he did to support himself since he was 8 (he's only 16 at the time of the story). His skills as a butler have a completely different origin.

* This is the explination given for many of [[{{Hayate no Gotoku}} Hayate's]] non-butler skills. Between the jobs he did for his father and the jobs he did to support himself since he was 8 (he's only 16 at the time of the story). His skills as a butler have a completely different origin.

* [[DoctorWho Donna Noble]], Super Temp.

For times when characters train in sports and apply their athletic abilities in combat situations see IKnowMaddenKombat. Also look toward IKnowMortalKombat for video game related situations.

* Towards the beginning of the fantasy movie ''TheMonkeyKing'', the main character mentions that he's a champion at his business's racquetball tournaments. Towards the end, he uses a sword like a racket to [[PlayingTennisWithTheBoss knock back the Big Bad's energy blasts]].

* In ''TempingFate'', the main character picks up some very interesting skills in her day job. She does temp work for the gods -- specifically, the Greek Fates.
* "Ground Rice" from ''{{The 36th Chamber of Shaolin}}''. As he says, all his life he's ground rice using a simple machine operated with the legs, so his legs are incredibly powerful.

* Simon from ''[[TengenToppaGurrenLagann Gurren Lagann]]'' was a former driller who later piloted a robot who's special weapon is a giant drill.
* Sanji from ''OnePiece'' acquired his speed and toughness while working in the kitchen under a bad tempered RetiredBadass.

* In ''TempingFate'', the main character picks up some very interesting skills in her day job. She does temp work for the gods, specifically, the Greek Fates.

* ConanTheBarbarian become so strong because in his youth, he was a slave who did some really heavy work.

* In an issue of ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', Nikki was able to knock out a bad guy using a roundhouse kick on account she was a pole dancer.

* In the 2nd episode of ''{{Band of Brothers}}'', Buck Compton throws a grenade at a fleeing German soldier that hits him in the back and explodes. Buck was the star catcher for UCLA's baseball team so this kind of feat under pressure was probably natural for him. Inverted in the same episode, however, as he tries to throw another grenade, gets bumped, and drops it amongst his own men causing momentary panic.

* The Box Ghost from ''DannyPhantom'' looks like a Longshoremen and is first seen at a port. Hence his status as master of "All things cardboard and square".

* Inverted in ''KimPossible'', Ron gets running experience while doing some [[CouldHaveBeenMessy Deadly Dodging]] and makes use of it in the local sports team.
** Play straight, Kim uses her Cheerleading moves to dodge