Hoss,
What about the fictitious young fellow who is not only an A student at school, but a very succesful sportsman. He is not only a State Champion, but goes on to compete in a number of National Championships! In year 11 he finds both full time training (around six hours per day six days a week), plus schooling (six hours per day five days per week), become just to much and decides to concentrate on sport.
After a very succesful sporting career, which as I said earlier includes a State Championship, he decides to pursue his boyhood dream of aviation. After many trials and tribulations, he finally achieves that coveted licence! Then he heads north to find that elusive first job, which leads to the next and then the next, anyway you know how it goes! Finally he lands a job flying a turboprop and considers himself one of 'the lucky ones'. After a considerable stint at the one company, he now has over 6500 hours, most of which is in command on multi-crew aircraft, including some training experience!
In pursuit of a young lady, he sets off for greener pastures and applies to the regional in question. They are apparently, in 'desperate' need of pilots, so he approaches them directly only to be told...
You are exactly the type of person we are looking for, now if only you had your HSC!
Anyway the young chap (at heart anyway), makes the move to be with his sweetheart and is welcomed with open arms at another reputable operator. Quickly becoming a functional member of the team, his skills show that he indeed does have what it takes, after all he was an A grade student...
NB: Of course this story is entirely fictitious!
Footnotes: While his grammar may be suspect at best, he has found that his vocabulary is the equal of many of his HSC graduate peers and his knowledge of physics, more than adequate for his chosen profession, that is of course if this person wasn't totally fictitious!