to be honest, these are the things I think give the highest odds of getting ahead in life:

1. get lucky, but seize the opportunity when it happens.

2. finish high school. be able to read, write, and apply mathematics at an adult level.

3. seek education with a specific career in mind. Don't fall for "once you finish our education, the jobs will come to you!", that's a scam. rather, seek opportunities that have some kind of job placement, be they apprenticeships, trade schools, or internships.

4. network. keep your friends and professional acquaintances in contact. associate with people who are both intelligent and have the drive to get ahead in life when you can. the more people you know, the higher the odds of getting lucky with an opportunity.

5. make your colleagues successful. it is not enough to just do a job, you have to make sure everyone you work with is doing their job well, and if they don't, train them until they do. uplifting your team increases your own success, and also reduces the chances of layoffs.

6. Invest in the people who invest in you. if a superior or subordinate shows you loyalty, reward them with loyalty. at the same time, do not give loyalty to people who demonstrably don't give it back.

none of this is cut and dry. It's a lot more complicated than "just get a degree!", but so is life.