Incon worked in the mines for 15 years, until 1985. Though his daily pay eventually rose to about NT $ 1,500, Taiwan's mining industry was approaching the end of the line. Incon had to find a new career, and ended up working on ships out of Keelung and Kaohsiung for five years.
劉慶福的礦工生涯總計 15 年，到了 1985 年，他的日薪增加至 1,500 元左右，但那已是台灣礦業的強弩之末，他不得不另謀生計，接下來在基隆與高雄兩地「跑船」5 年。