Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Education and the future economy

  • 21-01-2009 6:44pm
    #1
    BroomBurner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭


    I was just watching the news there and they were talking to 6th year students who are due to fill out their CAO forms soon. Their career guidance teacher made the comment that many are not choosing the career path they may have wanted to for fear of not finding employment (one example being a student who was going to study Architecture but decided against it).

    The students seemed to focus their choices more on health, education and IT.

    So, what effect will this have on our future economy? If more and more students go on to third level as their chances of getting a job straight out of school has decreased, what will the country do with higher numbers of graduates in health, education, etc.?

    Will this have any effect at all?


Comments

  • #2
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    My advice to kids is to always go for what you are passionate about.

    If you are motivated and work hard at a subject that you are passionate in, you will always do well and you will always find a job in that area. Not being interested in a course is the quickest way to the dole queue IMO.

    More kids doing IT is good, we need more people doing engineering and science type courses.
    However coming from CompSci background myself, I can tell you unmotivated kids will drop out after the first year.

    Not so great more doing health and education, health maybe ok but I don't see much growth in education.


  • #3
    gurramok
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,992 ✭✭✭✭gurramok


    I graduated in IT in the late 90's. After i graduated, the level of incoming students to IT fell off a cliff due to the dot com bust.

    Expect the same for Architects as there are too many of them as evidenced by the recent lay-offs.

    Its just common sense for students to pick a career where there is perceived stability by the time they graduate.


  • #4
    DJDC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 365 ✭✭DJDC


    Computer Science, Maths, Physics degrees from a good university are always fantastic degrees if you are bright at maths and are willing to work hard. You can look forward to global opportunities and good salaries.


  • #5
    BroomBurner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭BroomBurner


    I know it's common sense, it's what I did while at school (not that it mattered in the end anyway), but what effect will it have on Ireland's future workforce, or will it have any?


  • #6
    Teacherman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 112 ✭✭Teacherman


    Told them all to stick to accountancy-you cant go far wrong. Only joking told them to realize it will be 4 yrs before they have to face job market-things could be much worse by then...


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    leninbenjamin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,983 ✭✭✭leninbenjamin


    BroomBurner wrote: »
    I know it's common sense, it's what I did while at school (not that it mattered in the end anyway)

    why is it common sense if it doesn't matter? surely that's illogical?

    we have numerous problems with our education system. one of those problems is that people consistently choose 'stability' (which is an illusion anyway) over what they are actually good at. this means our workforce isn't as capable as it could be and our economy suffers as a result. this is particularly bad for an economy like ours which is looking to restructure itself as a highly skilled services economy, as you can't foster a highily competitive high rewards environment when all everyone wants to do is just do their mindless 9-5 and f*ck off home to get pissed at the weekends.


  • #8
    ardmacha
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,476 ✭✭✭ardmacha


    one of those problems is that people consistently choose 'stability' (which is an illusion anyway) over what they are actually good at.

    This is exactly the problem. And parents do not help as they push students to old fashioned careers like law, yet we now vast numbers of trainee solicitors being let go. There are only so many lawyers that you need!


  • #9
    BroomBurner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,737 ✭✭✭BroomBurner


    leninbenjamin wrote: »
    why is it common sense if it doesn't matter? surely that's illogical?

    we have numerous problems with our education system. one of those problems is that people consistently choose 'stability' (which is an illusion anyway) over what they are actually good at. this means our workforce isn't as capable as it could be and our economy suffers as a result. this is particularly bad for an economy like ours which is looking to restructure itself as a highly skilled services economy, as you can't foster a highily competitive high rewards environment when all everyone wants to do is just do their mindless 9-5 and f*ck off home to get pissed at the weekends.

    It was common sense to me, but in the end didn't really matter as I am no longer in that chosen profession.

    I actually don't believe that there is a country anywhere in the world where everyone wants to work their asses off. What you describe above about people wanting to do just their nine to five is not symptomatic to Ireland.

    Regardless of what your chosen profession is, people will, in general, just work to live, not live to work. It's unhealthy and unsustainable.

    I do agree with you on people working at what they're good at, but that's idealistic, bordering on a Plato style outlook of the employment world, which is just not viable.


Advertisement