[Gargoyle]

The vast, vast majority of tech work doesn't require any exceptional intelligence. It just requires a system of thinking, one which can be...trained.

[ThrustVectoring]

... and the ability to be trained into learning arbitrary skills is IQ. Higher IQ means its easier to train yourself into being able to use a new system of thinking.

Like, being a soldier doesn't require any sort of exceptional intelligence either. It doesn't even require average intelligence. What it requires is an IQ of 85 - below that point, and the US army cannot effectively train you to become a soldier. Despite having every incentive in the world, the US army still rejects about 15% of the population.

[nerpderp83]

15% of the population doesn't apply to join the Army. And those that do self select. Using the Army rejection rates for determining the IQ level of the population isn't a good method.

[smhost]

It's the definition of IQ. 15 points is 1 standard deviation, so about 15% of the population has an IQ of 85 or below by definition.

[kazinator]

Just following up to add that these two 15's are unrelated, in case any readers get the wrong idea.

The area under the normal distribution curve from minus infinity to -1 (one standard deviation left of centre) is about 0.1586 or about 15-16%.

The 15 points = 1 stddev property of IQ is arbitrarily established.