Career-wise, septic service might represent the road less traveled. But as Mike Rowe, host of the long-running Discovery Channel show Dirty Jobs says, sometimes following a non-traditional path can lead to a successful and gratifying career.

At the Recent Comic Con in New York, Rowe recalled his stint cleaning septic tanks with Wisconsin pumper Les Swanson, and his interest when Swanson explained that he gave up a career as a psychiatrist to become part of the wastewater industry.

“The moral of the story is huge,’’ Rowe said in a story reported by www.businessinsider.com. “(Les) didn't dream about being a septic tank cleaner, he just looked around (as a psychiatrist) and saw where everybody was going, took stock of what he was doing and thought, ‘I'm not gonna go that way.’ ”

Rowe professes a great deal of respect for people working in the skilled trades. The need to attract more workers careers in tough jobs like septic service inspired Rowe to create his www.mikeroweworks.com website and foundation.

Found on Rowe’s website is the original segment he filmed with Swanson, who taught him how to pump a septic tank. If you didn’t see it when it aired years ago, here’s another look:

Dirty Jobs - Septic Tank Technician

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