Do you wish you received better career guidance when you were younger?

Cravez · 06-09-2012 10:47AM

My career guidance teacher pretty much would just say to everyone ' Check Qualifax ' and that was it, great guidance right there.

Scanlas The 2nd · 06-09-2012 10:49AM

So many people haven't got a clue what they're interested in by the time they hit their twenties. One thing I find refreshing is when I hear about a kid of twelve or so who knows what they are interested in and what they want to do. Too many people IMO think life starts in your twenties some time. It doesn't , it starts the moment you are born.

Feckless Rogue · 06-09-2012 10:50AM

Our CGT was quite literally insane. I had an aptitude for music, technology and languages.

She told me I should be a jeweller.

Brother had an aptitude for sport and a special gift for getting on with people?

Vending machine repairman.

Anyway the one bit of advice I wish I got in early secondary school would be this: don't discount the Junior Cert. I thought the Junior Cert didn't really matter/make a difference. I only realized how wrong I was when all us underachievers got lumped in together while all my smart mates got the good/sound teachers

kfallon · 06-09-2012 10:52AM

The standard thing with them was "Oh you'll need a language" which is complete bull depending on what job you get into. Did French all during secondary school and for 3 of the 4 years of me degree (I gave it up for my final year cos I never went to class for the 3rd year of College

) and it was of absolutely no benefit to me - plus I hated it. The only time I'd consider speaking French now is if I'm feeling posh at the Deli counter and ask for a 'baguette' rather than a 'roll'

kippy · 06-09-2012 10:52AM

Feckless Rogue wrote: »

Our CGT was quite literally insane. I had an aptitude for music, technology and languages.

She told me I should be a jeweller.

Brother had an aptitude for sport and a special gift for getting on with people?

Vending machine repairman.

Anyway the one bit of advice I wish I got in early secondary school would be this: don't discount the Junior Cert. I thought the Junior Cert didn't really matter/make a difference. I only realized how wrong I was when all us underachievers got lumped in together while all my smart mates got the good/sound teachers

Whatever about a Jeweller, how exactly does one get into vending machine repair?
Did the CGT go through what courses could help, indeed what companies you could contact to find out more? Did they have any idea of salary/promotional prospects?

kfallon · 06-09-2012 10:59AM

kippy wrote: »

Whatever about a Jeweller, how exactly does one get into vending machine repair?
Did the CGT go through what courses could help, indeed what companies you could contact to find out more? Did they have any idea of salary/promotional prospects?

I laughed at the vending repair man, I mean Jaysus how did she come up with that

You can imagine all the advice that day:

"Oh you'd make a great DHL delivery driver"
"I think you should concentrate on the haircutting industry tbh"
"Your face just screams second hand car salesman"
"If I'm being honest here, I couldn't picture you doing anything but furniture repair!"
"If you went down the Takeaway delivery route I have to say I would rest easy ringing for a delivery knowing it was in your hands!"

Feckless Rogue · 06-09-2012 10:59AM

Can't remember if she gave us salary scales but I remember it was basically "so that's something you should look into".

In fairness she did ask me what I was interested in doing (music). Don't think she was too keen on that - in fairness it's a tough sell - but I had my mind set and did it anyway

Should've got into jewellry

kfallon · 06-09-2012 11:09AM

Feckless Rogue wrote: »

Can't remember if she gave us salary scales but I remember it was basically "so that's something you should look into".

In fairness she did ask me what I was interested in doing (music). Don't think she was too keen on that - in fairness it's a tough sell - but I had my mind set and did it anyway

Should've got into jewellry

You'd have been balls deep in diamonds now

MakeEmLaugh · 06-09-2012 11:12AM

I try not to blame other people for my mistakes. I don't blame my parents, I don't blame my siblings, I don't blame my friends.

But if I was to level the blame for my current predicament at anyone - unemployed for over four months, with most applications not even being replied to and those that are all featuring the phrase "unfortunately, on this occasion..." - it would be my career guidance teacher.

I'm convinced career guidance should be one of, if not the most important functions of secondary school. Maybe, at 17, I should have known specifically what career I wanted for the rest of my life, but I didn't. My guidance councillor was a nun - a nun, for f-ck's sake - who told most students, if they're not sure what they want to do, they should do Arts.

A few years previously, she had said to my brother, "college isn't for you; join the Army or the Guards". Now, he has a Masters, is a Health and Safety Inspector, and earns more than both of our parents' salaries combined.

It would have been nice to have someone give advice whose own career wasn't talking to an imaginary friend.

xDramaxQueenx · 06-09-2012 11:12AM

Not really to be honest. i only went to the career guidance officer when i didnt have homework done.

all she ever did anyway was refer us on to the careerdirections website, have us do the survey, and sure whatever came up was what we should be doing.

Feckless Rogue · 06-09-2012 11:14AM

kfallon wrote: »

You'd have been balls deep in diamonds now

Sounds painful :eek:

kfallon · 06-09-2012 11:14AM

xDramaxQueenx wrote: »

Not really to be honest. i only went to the career guidance officer when i didnt have homework done.

And I bet you were told, "With that attitude young lady you'll end up on the dole!!!"

Now please tell me you have are a very wealthy woman with a well paid job

Clareman · 06-09-2012 11:16AM

The guidance teacher in my secondary school was a priest.

kfallon · 06-09-2012 11:16AM

Feckless Rogue wrote: »

Sounds painful :eek:

Great for the chat up lines tho, "Now ladies, you know the way they say Diamonds are a girl's best friend, well......." :pac:

kfallon · 06-09-2012 11:16AM

Clareman wrote: »

The guidance teacher in my secondary school was a priest.

We really don't want to know where he guided you

Zulu · 06-09-2012 11:18AM

I remember my CG perfectly, which is unusual for me. It went as follows:

"You like maths & art? Architecture. NEXT."

Shams.

stalebread · 06-09-2012 11:18AM

i wish i did. back in college part-time now at 30 y.o lovin the course

Agricola · 06-09-2012 11:21AM

My careers guidance councillor was my religion teacher. That should have been my first inkling that things wouldnt work out so well. She was an airy fairy "break out the guitar for some Cumbaya" type. It was a complete waste of time, but in the heat of 6th year, we just enjoyed going in there to take a break from what we thought was the important stuff. The naivety of youth!

xDramaxQueenx · 06-09-2012 11:21AM

I initially wanted to join the guards. She told me that it wasn't for me. I used to be out a lot in 5th year from "chest infections" (down by the canal drinking cider with boys from the school next door) and she told me that id be outside a lot as a guard and if i was prone to chest infections, that id probably get sick a lot.

she tried convince me to do a security course, wtf?
I went on to do law and business for 4 years, left it, took a year out and did a year long course with the intention of going back to what i was at initially, and never looked back since. Happy out working away in a job that i love and with plans to open up my own business as soon as im confident enough that im experienced enough. And obviously the law and business will stand to me in that, so nothing was wasted.

Im very happy how my career turned out and it was no thanks to the school.

In fact, I left school in 2006 and started college. My mother passed away in november, and i left college. Went back to her (my old principal told me to come in and talk to the guidance teacher even though i was no longer a student) and she didn't even know if i would be able to start back as a first year for free as I had already been in 1st year. She just told me to apply through the CAO and see what happens.

anncoates · 06-09-2012 11:33AM

My school guidance cou8nsellor laughed at me when I said I wanted to go to Trinity so possibly, yes.

kerry4sam · 06-09-2012 11:45AM

Some people on this thread seem to think it falls on the Career Guidance teacher to provide information to almost tell you, like a magic-8 ball, an answer to which they couldn't possibly know.

At that age, few know what they want to do. If students spent some time researching areas themselves before speaking to the CG teacher and asking for their opinion, they may be better off. Instead of waiting for them to give you an answer for something they truly don't know to answer to.

It is never too late to change course or direction. Never! It may be harder down the line, but it's never too late. Don't lay the blame on a CG teacher who tbh won't have the answers and cannot see into the future.

Study your ass off, research the course you feel best suits you and aim for said course. If that doesn't work, then re-evaluate. Don't put your future in the hands of anyone, never-mind a CG teacher with no answers or insight into the future imo.

Seren_ · 06-09-2012 11:54AM

The career guidance teacher in our school was awesome. He was unbelievably helpful, and was the reason that I put Maynooth down on my CAO form as he did his degree there and loved it (I hadn't even heard of NUIM before my first careers meeting, but they had the exact course I wanted). I kinda owe my great college experience to him so

On the other hand, the careers teacher in my brother's school was crap and I ended up having to explain how the CAO worked to him because they were never told.

kfallon · 06-09-2012 11:57AM

kerry4sam wrote: »

Some people on this thread seem to think it falls on the Career Guidance teacher to provide information to almost tell you, like a magic-8 ball, an answer to which they couldn't possibly know.

We were made go and talk to the CGT, do you honestly think I wanted some clown who hardly knew anything about me as a person telling me which way to go careerwise! Like I said I was good at maths and liked all things 'numeral' so I knew I'd more than likely end up working with numbers. I didn't need that tit to tell me!

Zulu · 06-09-2012 12:02PM

kerry4sam wrote: »

Some people on this thread seem to think....

I'll stop you there. The question was: "Do you wish you received better career guidance when you were younger?" & people are answering.

kerry4sam · 06-09-2012 12:12PM

Zulu wrote: »

I'll stop you there. The question was: "Do you wish you received better career guidance when you were younger?" & people are answering.

kerry4sam wrote: »

Some people on this thread seem to think it falls on the Career Guidance teacher to provide information to almost tell you, like a magic-8 ball, an answer to which they couldn't possibly know.

At that age, few know what they want to do. If students spent some time researching areas themselves before speaking to the CG teacher and asking for their opinion, they may be better off. Instead of waiting for them to give you an answer for something they truly don't know to answer to.

It is never too late to change course or direction. Never! It may be harder down the line, but it's never too late. Don't lay the blame on a CG teacher who tbh won't have the answers and cannot see into the future.

Study your ass off, research the course you feel best suits you and aim for said course. If that doesn't work, then re-evaluate. Don't put your future in the hands of anyone, never-mind a CG teacher with no answers or insight into the future imo.

No, you won't take my quote out of context. Thanks. Read that full sentence again and it will make sense

Tea-a-Maria · 06-09-2012 12:12PM

My career guidance teacher was a priest.He told everyone,and I mean EVERYONE to do Arts in Galway.When I told him I was thinking of doing law,he suggested Arts with Legal Studies in Galway and then get an LLB.This would have taken longer than a regular law degree and probably wouldn't look as good on a CV.Though at one level I was impressed at the gymnastics he did to convince me to study there.:rolleyes:

Everyone in my school saw career guidance as a period for dossing.You mostly just went to pick up the prospectus for a college.Useless!

kerry4sam · 06-09-2012 12:15PM

Zulu wrote: »

I'll stop you there. The question was: "Do you wish you received better career guidance when you were younger?" & people are answering.

in other words, cont of my post above: some people have an un-realistic expectation of what the CG is there for and what they can do and provide imo.

Zulu · 06-09-2012 12:28PM

yeah whatever. With insight like that, did you ever consider becoming a CGT yourself?

Personally I take it to mean that people wish they received better career guidance when they were younger, but you'd know better.

Lollipops23 · 06-09-2012 12:30PM

My CG teacher actually lost me a year, as she didn't tell me my PLC options when I asked (she told me the one i liked as fee-paying, like DBS etc). Stupid bint didn't know her arse from her elbow.

BUBBLE WRAP · 06-09-2012 12:45PM

The CGT I had, was a right bell-end to say the least.

CGT: what are you going to be when you leave school.
Me: I'm going to be an artist sir.
CGT: Oh really? Have you an interest in art?
Me: No im going to draw the dole!
CGT face just turned bright red.

It was immature of me, But it was an opportunity for me to act the maggot so I took it.

But since that incident he called me useless and good for nothing for the rest of the year. So I was delighted to get out of school, but I got my pay back on him, I reported him to the principle and HE is now drawing the dole. :pac: I am going on in IT.

Do you wish you received better career guidance when you were younger?

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