A Qualified Defence

at

Department of Defence Headquarters, Station Road, Newbridge, County Kildare

Oh.

Anyone?


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11 thoughts on “A Qualified Defence

    1. martco

      I would add the only ones who would think that’s of vital importance is someone who works for a HR dept. :)

      it’s one of the reasons the world is going to hell in a handcart.

      I’m surrounded by lads with degrees in this & masters in this n that…most of them can’t tie their own shoelaces or spell properly! sfa common sense & practical capability.

      and it’s defo one of the LAST things I care about in an interviewee

  1. Cian O'Sullivan

    In a lot of areas of life, a credentialed degree can be overrated, and I can understand @martco’s frustration with people who may have a high standard of paper qualification but poor real-world skills. I’ve had to cope in environments with this factor too, and harboured secrets wishes of accessing skilled self-taught ‘amatueurs’ when very frustrated with those who were ostensibly qualified but inept.

    Ultimately though, in critical fields, you don’t want anybody who hasn’t put in the work and cleared the proper hurdles. People serve apprenticeships, train as pilots and go to medical school for good reasons. The official routes, while not 100% perfect are the best ones available to get the knowledge and prove you’ve gotten the knowledge for many essential skills.

    The alternative is visible in the HSE: after decades of mismanagement, huge numbers of consultancy posts in hospitals all around Ireland are lying dangerously vacant, and the HSE solution? Quietly slip the odd person who isn’t qualified as a consultant (for a range of reasons) into posts like radiography and emergency medicine. The “Yerra, ’til be grand” attitude. Shocking irresponsibility.

    Likewise, if we’re supposed to be an advanced industrial nation and we’re running as part of our government a Defence Department where – if the above is true – no-one in the bureau has even a basic undergrad degree in International Relations, International Security or Defence – I’m sorry lads, that’s a bit mad. Although sadly, not surprising.

    1. curmudgeon

      Its worse than you think in the HSE. Get this because in the real world youre pay is based on the job you do and not on the amount of paper certs you may or may not have but pur public service had a bright idea. They pay based on your qualifications. So the HSE hire the Irish Management Institute to create custom courses that are so clandestine the IMI’s own staff dont know much about them. Basically they pay the IMI and they’ll certify you with accreditiation from UCC (no failures unless the cheque doesn’t clear), the HSE then bumps your pay grade accordingly. This is a scandal and we’re all paying for it.

  2. phil

    Strange if true, in the public sector there are many avenues for further education , even if its no benefit to your job, at the very least, a qualification would put you in line for a salary bump.

  3. A Person

    Can the poster give a reference that nobody has a degree? If not, why is it posted on here? Seriously, lets just throw out poo and the eejits on the web will lap it up.

    1. just sayin

      The allegation is that no civil servant in the dept of defence has a degree, rather than no member of the defence forces has a degree

      1. Cian O'Sullivan

        I think the allegation is more specific again: no civil servant has a degree in Defence related fields like security, international relations etc. I’m sure if there is a bureaucratic structure people with SOME third level qualifications must be place. You nearly need a degree to work a petrol pump these days. I think the allegation is that there is a lack of trained specialists in areas that might be important to Defence specifically.

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