At work there is a Supervisor who insists that Affirmative Action is necessary because how can you expect in one generation to overcome the deficiencies of the past. We have some "spirited" conversations over this. He thinks it should go on for ever. I say people have had the opportunity to prove they can do the job with government support, now let them prove it without it. He is always angry claiming African Americans do are not properly represented in our Department. He refused to take into account our Peace Officer status, and firearms requirements. the exceptionally large numbers of blacks committing crimes, which disqualify them from this type of job are not my fault. Looking at from a law abiding point of view blacks are overrepresented, as they reflect nearly the population, not the law abiding population. I think he is wrong about his desire for Affirmative Action.
I guess I'm much harder... Take the job, do the job, or lose the job. If you cannot pass our academy or do our job because they don't serve collard greens in the snack bar, that is stupid. Yet you see that type of argument all the time.
Amazing, how even with furloughs, our California Department of Motor Vehicles improve service for a short time, when they thought Arnold would lay people off based on performance, rather than seniority. I know that is not possible but I love the thought. Not only should they use performance, but they should go back for years, before it even became an issue, as performance then speaks to character, not seniority.
steelish I do congratulate you on the jobs you have held without a degree. Performance can go a long way in advancement, for performers.
In a job I had once, I made wheelchairs. My peers always told me that I should not work so hard because if I had a bad, or occasionally less productive day management would notice and come down on me. Everyone has bad days, and management never questioned me if I fell short. I felt I should give them the best days work I could everyday. Thats how I was raised, and between my upbringing and Military time, I really cannot think any other way. In the military there were standards and you met them or exceeded them and I still have trouble dealing with the civilian standard of mediocrity. I know now as a Supervisor myself, how much management at that plant I worked at must have appreciated the extra effort I put in. Often at the bottom you think it is not noticed, but, I assure you, if your first line supervisor is worth anything, it is.
Having said that. many jobs have an educational requirement. Education is always an advantage. If I could go back in time and start over, I would graduate high school with a 4.0, have gone to west point, and pursued my military career from the returning side of the salute. Hard work can take you far, but even CEO's in America who started up the corporate ladder without education, generally get some.