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Poll: Do you use your third-level qualification directly in your job?

Did your college course impact your career?

TODAY IS THE deadline for CAO applications.

Across the country, thousands of students have already filled in theirs, applying for their preferred college courses.

With that in mind, we want to know if your third-level course impacted your career. Did you do a science degree and end up in business? Or are you putting your marketing degree to use?

We’re asking: Do you use your third-level qualification directly in your job?


Poll Results:

Yes (7814)
No (6102)
Didn't do a third-level course (1738)
Don't know (430)

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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43 Comments
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    Mute Denito
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:45 AM

    Computer science degree and masters – now dairy farming, so that’s a no for me I suppose

    375
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    Mute Richard Cronin
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:48 AM

    @Denito: agri engineering & managment now doing IT admin, want to swap

    262
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    Mute Mr Snuffleupagus
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:50 AM

    @Denito: Computer said no then?

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    Mute cortisola
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:46 AM

    @Mr Snuffleupagus: We’re all going to end up in sales anyway…

    35
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    Mute Santa Carla
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    Feb 1st 2017, 12:56 PM

    Sociology and English. Ended up in Banking :-(

    44
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    Mute L-Plate
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    Feb 1st 2017, 2:25 PM

    Cows will all be digital in the future so maybe applicable

    17
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    Mute Ross McGann
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:46 AM

    Used my experience in the industry to get my position. Am returning to part time education to help me further my career…. 18 is far too young for people to decide what they want to do with the rest of their lives…..

    299
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    Mute Kate Kelly
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:29 AM

    It’s not that simple. I don’t use the actual subject matter of my degree much, but I do use the skills and disciplines that third level study teaches.

    299
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    Mute Bennythekid
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:41 AM

    My degree 22 years ago would be different to the same degree today but I agree the skills and disciplines still apply-I have no regrets -education is the key.

    164
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Feb 1st 2017, 10:22 AM

    I find that does not match up with my experience of new graduates. They come in so clueless about how to work with others or follow direction. The disciplines they learned in college seem to be the exact opposite of what is needed. Normally takes about 2 years for them to understand how to work. Very common for them to dismiss direction or policy as they think they know better.

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    Mute ktsiwot
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    Feb 1st 2017, 10:42 AM

    @Kate Kelly:
    If your degree includes doing individual and group projects it will be useful, many employers take a degree as a persons ability to achieve a goal and not necessary the specific subject matter. I know a person who did a masters on Emmanuel Kant and got a job with Goldman Sacs, so for many jobs third level is used as a filter for potential achievement rather than actual subject content.

    54
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:15 AM

    Ktsiwot> That only works for some jobs. Won’t work in a technical field. In saying that most IT graduates have to learn a new program language when they start. No unusual for them to have no ability to learn a new language making it curious how they passed projects or exams. I studied to be a civil engineer and had much more computer knowledge than IT graduates when I started out in the field. Mostly learned the stuff when I was in school. Still amazes me the lack secondary school knowledge many people I work with have. Simple statistics is beyond many college graduates.

    20
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    Mute ktsiwot
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    Feb 1st 2017, 12:43 PM

    @Kal Ipers:
    Yes you are correct for specific technical jobs. A proper lack of Maths also leads to a large fail rate in many technical courses in college. When you get to non specific technical jobs, it does not seem to matter what course you did the grade of the course and the individual mark apply more. Many sectors that are not technical based like to have a different spread of course qualifications rather than the course nearest the job spec.

    9
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    Mute Brown Boots
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    Feb 1st 2017, 12:54 PM

    Employability skills is what’s lacking in 3rd level, while all the facets of it are easily put in place within the specific area, it’s possibly what’s lacking in direction from 3rd level administration and engagement with industry and vice versa.

    6
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    Mute Virtual Architect
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    Feb 1st 2017, 1:53 PM

    Educational establishments hate the “real world” as they can’t make money from it. No wonder graduates come out clueless and indoctrinated.

    7
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    Mute Zx5vZulB
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    Feb 1st 2017, 2:28 PM

    Negative moaning

    6
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    Mute
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    Feb 1st 2017, 3:10 PM

    @Zx5vZulB: I know it sounds negative but unfortunately it’s true- I have a lot of experience in the area and it took a long time to come to this conclusion.

    4
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Feb 1st 2017, 3:44 PM

    Ktsiwot> No idea what a non specific technical job is that doesn’t require technical knowledge. For a technical job you need technical knowledge. As for just random degrees getting people into jobs it is at the lowest level. Sure you can get a job in Citigroup or Sachs but you will start out as an operator not far off working in a call centre. I move around a lot of companies and see this all the time. Many places hire people with degrees when the leaving cert would suffice. The degree is unnecessary but unfortunately made a requirement by the company. Adds no value to work to know ancient Welsh

    6
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    Mute Mrs M
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    Feb 1st 2017, 10:23 AM

    Graduated in science & nursing working for a software company so that’s a no

    67
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    Mute John Considine
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    Feb 1st 2017, 10:33 AM

    I have often advised bright young people unsure of what to do to do a B.Sc. or a B.A. in pure maths. No matter what job you go for later, the interviewer will be impressed. Having spent a few years in college and thus experiencing a wider educational horizon, the person is better equipped to choose another primary degree or a postgraduate course. A degree in maths shows for once and for all that you are not stupid, you are analytical and conceptual, and you have attributes and skills that are useful to any organisation.

    63
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    Mute Bennythekid
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:14 AM

    &John Considine-a degree in maths shows that you’re not stupid kind of implies that a degree in anything else shows that you are stupid John .i don’t agree with your view.of course you need a certain amount of maths but many of these career mathematians have no people skills whatsoever

    40
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    Mute John Considine
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:15 AM

    @Bennythekid, it implies nothing of the kind.

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    Mute Minom Pnom
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:17 AM

    @John Considine: that’s a good suggestion as it does prove the skills that you listed. for some reason pure maths is not a popular choice in Ireland. I have a feeling that some of this is down to the generally poor standards of maths teaching at second level.

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    Mute Bennythekid
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:33 AM

    @ John Considine-ok John I may have gone over the top there and for that I apologise .i actually agree with most of your post.

    23
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    Mute John Considine
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    Feb 1st 2017, 12:40 PM

    @Bennythekid – no worries.

    11
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    Mute Steve O'Sullivan
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    Feb 1st 2017, 10:29 AM

    Software Development with French … off to Cognac next week for a two day workshop (this better involve Brandy)

    48
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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Feb 1st 2017, 10:12 AM

    Done computer programing and web design in college. Ended up as a maintenance electrician

    47
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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Feb 1st 2017, 1:14 PM

    Education is mind training. Footballers don’t do press-ups in the course of a game, but that doesn’t mean that press-ups are useless.

    45
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    Mute Stiofán De Priondárgas
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:10 AM

    i did electronic engineering & radio production… spent 7 years doing admin & sales in office now i build stone walls and cabins… to be honest when you leave secondary school its hard to know what you want to spend your life doing. on only the last few years i figured it out

    44
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    Mute Oisin Murray
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:27 AM

    A bit of a loaded question, it depends on the course and the institution. There is no doubt that certain unis and courses help you ‘get ahead’ better than others. Doing a masters in Smurfit changed the whole focus of my career and opened doors to me that would not have been possible with a similar degree from DIT, DCU etc…

    41
    Karl
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    Mute Karl
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:37 AM

    @Oisin Murray: I also did a Masters in Smurfit but found it to be for me a gross waste of money. When applying for jobs overseas it’s not as well known an institution as it portrays in its marketing material. In relation to the general question I’d say it’s for most people in non-technical work it’s not the specific content that they use everyday but skills they picked up along the way.

    66
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    Mute The Viking
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:38 AM

    Experience within your chosen field can still out way the results received in 3rd level education.

    38
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    Mute John Considine
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:41 AM

    Outweigh.

    93
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    Mute Mr Snuffleupagus
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    Feb 1st 2017, 9:54 AM

    @The Viking:

    Something else I’ve noticed over the last 10 years. A lot of people with degrees are heading to local colleges afterwards to do PLC courses. Why? Because a lot of those courses are niche and have a module of 2 week or a month work experience with an employer before Xmas in the first year of the course. Lots of media people I know have successfully used this approach. PLC courses can be great to get your foot in the door, and get asked to stay on in the job.

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    Mute Paul Mc Manus
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    Feb 1st 2017, 12:53 PM

    It’s a combination of both tbh. I have both and can see the benefits. Education is any format is always has its benefits.

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    Mute Paul Mc Manus
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    Feb 1st 2017, 12:51 PM

    100% of course you do. Regardless of your degree, you learn other skills such as hitting deadlines, communication and commitment. Although to many, it may seem like your degree has given you very little, you have in fact gained a lot of disciplinary skills whivh can be used in ANY working environment.

    26
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    Mute Alex Falcone
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    Feb 1st 2017, 11:58 AM

    No.
    The ganger has no time for philosophical discussions while we’re drinking our tae.

    25
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    Mute Bean Ui Mise
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    Feb 1st 2017, 3:07 PM

    Didn’t get to go to College. Have been in the same job since 1982. Fairly sick of it now. I’m afraid to leave and I cannot imagine spending another 10+ years in the same place.

    15
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    Mute Zx5vZulB
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    Feb 1st 2017, 2:27 PM

    Everyone with a 3rd level degree uses it all the time, they just don’t realize it. The skills learned at 3rd level in terms of analysis, strategic thinking, communications, team work , report writing, presenting projects, working independently, meeting deadlines, etc are all skills that graduates use without even thinking of ascribing them to having learnt them at uni.

    15
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    Mute Virtual Donal
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    Feb 1st 2017, 2:21 PM

    The most useful modules in my Masters were “Power structures in the Workplace” (that’s the one on bending over and taking it like a man and telling the boss you love it), and “work/life balance” (which told you everything not to do). They got me through the recession with flying colours.

    9
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    Mute Virtual Architect
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    Feb 1st 2017, 1:57 PM

    The Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland rendered many 5 year degrees useless when they took over registration and blocked entry to young architects.

    6
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    Mute Stephen Kelly
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    Feb 1st 2017, 7:20 PM

    Don’t know – 359!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

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    Mute Mrs Doyle
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    Feb 2nd 2017, 5:13 AM

    I trained to be a specific allied health professional, I have worked in that profession for over 24 years.

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