I have dropped out school… 

 

In order to help our students understand that quitting school is not the best option, we asked them to interview some of their relatives and friends.

 

Here are some of the interviews.

 

• What´s your name? How old are you?

• What´s your job? Are you happy with it?

• When did you drop out school? Why did you do it? Which school year were you attending?

• Did you regret your decision? When? Why?

• After dropping out school, did you attend any sort of training course? Which one? Why did you do it? How old were you?

• Do you think that if you hadn´t dropped school your life would be different now? Why?

 

 

I´m Carlos Alberto Matos Correia and I´m 46 anos.

I ´m a construction worker. Yes. I´m happy with my job. I really like what I do, but I had to immigrate to Switzerland to have a better paid job.

I gave up school when I was attending 6th grade (2nd cycle of primary school). The main reason was the fact that I wanted to earn some money to help my family.

When I was around 20 years old, I regretted my decision because I realized that school is very important for us. It helps us to develop skills that will be useful and needed not only at work, but also in our daily and social life.

I went back to school when I was 40 years old. I attended a computer training course because I think that computers are everywhere these days and it´s important to be able to use them.

I think that if I had continued my studies in due time I would still be working in this line of work, but I also think that if I had finished my degree I would for sure be in a better position or have a better salary.

 

 

My name is José Silva. I´m 43 anos.

At the moment, I´m unemployed.

I gave up school when I was attending the 6th grade (primary school – 2nd cycle). I did it because my parents were going through financial problems and I had to help them and my younger sisters.

Yes, I regretted leaving school because now when I go to some job interviews, employers say that I must have a 12th grade certificate to get a job. So, it would be easier to get a job with a secondary degree.

I have never decided to study again and finish my secondary education, but I think that if I had done it would have been easier to have a job and a well-paid one.

 

 

I´m Jaime Miguel da Silva Carneiro. I´m 40 years old.

I´m an auto body repair technician and I like my job.

I dropped school after finishing 7th grade (3rd cycle, lower secondary school)

Because I thought it would be better to get a job than to study, but I have regretted this decision several times during my life. I have realized that if I had studied more I could be a mechanical engineer now and have a better salary and benefits.

That´s why I have returned to school at 19 years old to attend a technical training course of automotive body repair at CEPRA. And I also did it because I knew it would be easier to get a better job.

Although I have this certificate, I know that if I hadn´t given up school when I was younger, I could be an automotive engineer now and my life would be even better.

 

 

My name is Maria Deolinda Rocha de Sousa. I´m 41.

I work in an elderly care home and I love my wok.

I left school when I was attending the 6th grade (2nd cycle, primary school) because I had to help my parents in the household chores and because of financial reasons. I needed to work and earn some money to help my parents.

I have always regretted this decision because I knew that I had the capacities to continue to study and to have a secondary certificate. I always knew I could do better and have a better life if I continued at school.

That´s why I returned to school and attended a secondary course on Social Services.

I think that if I hadn´t left school, my professional life would have been better because I would have more technical and practical knowledge concerning my area of work.