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

littlefeet

I wouldn't have got in the the course I did with out a leaving cert so bit of connection.

Watched a documentary about bit coin and tech, something I know noting about.

One of the guys interview was a man in his mid fifties English, so I looked him up, PhD in computer science 3 A levels in physic, math's and advanced math's so no slouch academically, now a very wealthy man.

The thing is he became an adult in a era of history when tech made people multi millionaire if he had been an adult in the 1950 a what sort of career would he have were there even computer science degrees then?

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SuperBowserWorld

With 3 A levels in physics, maths, advanced maths in the 1950s UK he probably would have got an advanced engineering/science/architecture/defence/rocket science/... job in any number of companies in the UK at the time.

Also this ... lots happening around that time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pioneers_in_computer_science

littlefeet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261514#Comment_123261514

But unlikely to have become a multi millionaire from what he did in university.

From the 1980s onwards a computer science degree could be monetised to make an individual very wealthy but maybe that's a different question.

SuperBowserWorld

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261533#Comment_123261533

You don't even need a computer science degree to become extremely wealthy in tech. Gates, Zuckerberg, just two examples of people who benefitted from technology advances and being in the right place at the right time. Being able to programme a computer system, develop a business idea, and drive it ... no computer science degree required at all.

CalamariFritti

No but where I grew up we dont have a points system to qualify for third level subjects. Or only temporarily for oversubscribed subjects and even then there are avenues… Basically I can have a sh1t leaving and still become a doctor or an architect.

[Deleted User]

In this country, of course there's a connection in certain cases - high-points courses (mostly it seems for the medical sector) that lead to well paying careers - but certainly not always.

Most successful careers involve numerous steps, which can compensate for the LC. In an NUI university, elec eng is 500 points, in a tech university it's 300-odd. With that degree you can build on it, e.g. actuary. To be a solicitor you don't even need a law degree (I know a guy who scraped into arts, developed an interest in law so put the head down, then did a postgraduate in legal studies, now a successful solicitor with his own practice).

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261947#Comment_123261947

The points system is a joke anyway. Someone with 400 points could possibly be a far better doctor than someone with 600.

[Deleted User]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123262031#Comment_123262031

And the way someone might not get medicine with excellent grades in chemistry and biology but poor grades in Irish and French is just unfair. When has a "one size fits all" approach ever been positive.

amacca

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123261563#Comment_123261563

Where was that out of curiosity, no hassle if you'd rather not say!

To answer the OP, yes in my case....any job I've had had a big connection back to how I did in school .....

CalamariFritti

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123262102#Comment_123262102

No prob, Germany

Strumms

My best subjects in school were also the three I enjoyed most…Geography, History & French… never really required to apply them in any regular manner in my work life.

There really isn’t any correlation probably between how I did in school and my career.

BrianD3

I did the LC in the 1990s and my points score was in about the 97th percentile. The career I went into did require well above average academic ability so you could say there is a connection there. However my earnings have been barely above average so in that respect It was a poor choice of career. But had I been born 10 years earlier, it may have been worse again, I may not have had a career in Ireland at all and been forced to emigrate.

Success in life has a lot to do with luck, timing and making the right decisions. Also, seemingly small factors can have a big impact. Had two of my A2s in the LC been A1s, life would have worked out very differently.

Iscreamkone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123262031#Comment_123262031

The cao points system is the fairest method of deciding who gets limited places in third level courses. Maybe bonus points could be awarded for subjects related to a particular course, but we should keep the points system. It’s still the best way to decide who does or doesn’t get into a course.

griffin100

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

The fairness may be watered down by all the project work outside of school pre exam but we shall see. In any event, whether you've 600 plus points going to college, you still need to pass all of the college exams and subjects like medicine, engineering, veterinary are no walk in the park.

Iscreamkone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123263611#Comment_123263611

I’m not a fan of project work being counted for exam purposes. Rich kids will do better.

If you can get 600 points you have the ability and work ethic to pass any course.

[Deleted User]

The two lads in my school who ended up as serious high achievers, both CEO level of large organisations of more than 1,000 staff, were solid mid-range performers in school, definitely not the A grade students who were being touted for medicine.

Iscreamkone

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264233#Comment_123264233

Definitely you don’t need 600 points to have a good career. Plenty of average individuals can be great business people. You don’t need 600 points to spot an opening in the market and then back yourself to exploit the opening.
Lads running centras , a couple of taxis, renting houses. Balls is what’s required not points.

LastApacheInjun

It's a funny thing. Some high paying careers - e.g. doctor, lawyer, actuary are directly connected to university degrees that require good leaving cert results. Yes, there are other ways to getting into that career but overall the vast majority qualify the conventional way.

But these are by no means the only high paying careers. IT does not require a degree from the usual universities. Training as a builder, and going on to become a property developer, does not require good leaving certificate results.

However, in my estimation, if you don't have good school results, you need to be a risk taker in order to make money at your chosen career. You might need to move jobs even when you don't feel comfortable, you might need to move locations, you might need to go self employed or do contract work on occasion. That may work out very well for some people, but for an equal amount they will crash and burn (I've seen this with entrepreneurial friends). The benefit of good school results, and a good degree, is that security that you won't need to go from job to job or country to country in order for your career to work out.

HurlingBoy

The high points degree courses e.g medicine, vetinary etc will offer good salaries where as the mid level points such as computer science, engineering etc will get you in the door at companies but you will generally have to work hard to move up the career ladder. There is only a few positions in companies that will pay the big salaries.

Iscreamkone

Plenty of useless courses at third level also.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264346#Comment_123264346

The problem here is idiot hr in companies are putting in a minimum of a third level qualification, not necessarily a level 8, but can put off great candidates. Frustrating.

We've got a decent crew, so I generally go through all the case and got some absolute gems that would have been dismissed due to ridiculous requirements.

BrianD3

I'm not sure if how feasible it is to make massive money from Balls these days. Much of the low hanging fruit has already been picked and there are regulatory hurdles to entrepreneurship that may not have existed in the past. My extended family is not very large yet there have been several with net worths well into 8 figures. Uncles, first cousins etc. None of them came from privilege and none were academic in school. But if they were starting out today I wonder how things would work out for them.

I'm late 40s and of the people I went to school with, I don't know of any that have been very successful entrepreneurs or become CEOs of big companies. The ones who have done the best are mostly those who went into law, banking, accountancy, medicine, IT, trades or are in senior roles in the civil service following Arts degrees. With the exception of the trades and medicine lads, most of these would have had CAO points in about the 70-80th percentile, smart but not academic geniuses. I know a few 99th percentile individuals from school and college who studied engineering and haven't done that well and those who studied science have done worse again.

As I didn't get quite enough points for medicine, If I had my time again, I think I'd become a plumber and specialise in boilers. An essential service, great opportunities for working locally and self employment, not rocket science and great pay. I recently paid a plumber + apprentice a grand for a little over a half day's work. I told other people about this and they thought it was a great price.

LastApacheInjun

100% with you BrianD3. I work as a lawyer, and while the pay is good it is nothing spectacular. There are a tiny percentage of qualified lawyers that are partners in big firms or are senior counsel, and they're the ones who make 200k+ a year. Anyone who puts in 80 hours a week to a job is going to do well, whether you're a plumber or a lawyer.

My oldest is quite academic, and I will encourage her to work hard for her Leaving as I she's quite introverted and so I don't think she'd be great doing a trade or being self-employed. But my middle daughter likely has ADHD and the academics don't come to her as quick. She's as sharp as a tack otherwise, so I'm definitely going to encourage her to start a business.

littlefeet

I knew someone who took the circuitous rout and got there in the end but they found it hard going and it took years they always regrated not being able to do what they wanted straight from school, its not just the acidemias in schools its learning how to learn and study and math's and science in particular is hard to pick up as an adult if you don't have the basics.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264847#Comment_123264847

Great post. There is the flipside of being more grounded and stable.

If you're going to pay a lot of money, potentially lose some, you better be sure.

I applaud people who go for it. Especially mid 20 year old who are earning a wage. It's a scary thing to do and involves a lot of sacrifice and planning even prior to applying.

Then again good certificates are brilliant! A lot of companies pay for them.

littlefeet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264717#Comment_123264717

Get her to train as a baker and open a bakery that seem to the the latest start you own business idea if my social media feed is anything to go by.

gameoverdude

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264931#Comment_123264931

Don't be ridiculous!

Collagen and/or some type of toxin injections are the way to go. Don't really need to be certified or anything! Proper certified that is.

Good front as well.

csirl

In my case yes. I grew up in a working class area in a family with zero connections/pull.

I was originally hired as a graduate. So getting a good LC and a good degree was essential.

littlefeet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123264717#Comment_123264717

Anyone I know who has done very well with similar qualification to your, accountancy or law and the like fell in to some niche bit of the profession or a management or compliance or suitable qualification person type roles.

griffin100

The assumption that doctors, vets, solicitors, engineers, etc are all well paid is no longer the case in Ireland. You can do insanely well, but you’ll have to commit to stupid hours or own your practice or get a bit of luck on the way. Plenty of ‘professionals’ getting paid 5 figures. Vets in particular seems to have seen a drop in salaries, especially in the UK where big practice chains have a lot of the market and don’t pay that well.

Of the 2 most successful people I know well one was an electrician, who then moved into sales, then set up his own business which he sold for around €5m. The other one with a salary of around €500k is primarily sales based, and he’s good at hitting his targets and getting his bonuses.

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.