“If they really are that smart and hard-working, they will gradually move up through the ranks. A good employee is worth his or her weight in gold.”
Not always. One of the worst things about working at a crummy job are the crummy managers that you have to work for, especially the affirmative action managers. If you are an educated white male working in some workplaces you have to keep your mouth shut while the affirmative action managers take credit for work done by others. Bad managers don’t recognize good employees. I am in a job like that now. I am looking for something better, but there is not much to chose from.
A lot of managers will find any way they can to fire somebody they think is a threat to their job.