Has the job careered you have any connection to how well you did in school.

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123262533#Comment_123262533

I would almost agree. The CAO is the least unfair system.

But structural advantages are everywhere. Look around you at your workplace - the majority of senior roles are filled by those who were raised in higher socioeconomic households.

Intelligence & hard work are not the main drivers of financial success. It's a myth that is earnestly put forward by many in (powerful) financial situations. Some of the most intelligent & hard working people are in careers that are not financially rewarding.

But, that's life. The key to a good career/life is to find contentment. Easier than it sounds.

KaneToad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264434#Comment_123264434

Education is never useless. Tertiary education is not job training.

I needed 300 points for computer science at the time, barely went in for sixth year, Never did homework, studied a six weeks before hand and got 380. Think I only spent a week in total on Irish and English higher and got D1s in both.

Now I've a good job in tech.

I've learned from my time working it's all your personality that gets you the CEO roles or the higher management roles not how good you peform.

I just had no interest.

Sgt Hartman

I was always interested in science, especially Biology. I only got a very average 310 points in my Leaving Cert but it was more than enough to get into my number one course preference which was Applied Biology. I pretty much stayed in that career over the years until recently when I then moved to an admin role with the same employer. I’m a lot happier now than at any point in my career, although if I didn’t go down the route I did with science then I wouldn’t have dreamed of being in the good position I’m in now.

Lewis_Benson

Nope.

I dropped out of secondary school in 5th year.

I am a senior system admin for a large multinational company.

Iscreamkone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266445#Comment_123266445

Well done you. Based on this should we get our children to leave school in 5th year or close all schools at this age?

Lewis_Benson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123267520#Comment_123267520

No, definitely not.

Iscreamkone

Skills pay bills!

Get skills that you can monetise.

Where or how you get these skills doesn’t matter. School/3rd level is a reliable route to obtaining skills.
Plenty of other routes are available, trades, music, sports. But the results may be less reliable than the mainstream route.

littlefeet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123266333#Comment_123266333

Who put that myth forward? not in today society but academic ability of the type that is valued in today society is a factor in financial successes saying its all to do with socioeconomic background is just as much a trop, if it was true in Ireland, someone like Micheal Martin or Simon Harris would not be the countries leaders.

Also from what I can see being fortunate to be in the right place at the right time has a lot to do with it.