YOUR SHOUT

Fiona, loved your piece about the inspirational James Dyson and ‘education snobbery’. My eldest son dropped out of college after less than a term. We told him it was his choice but he had to get a job. He did, went on to an apprenticeship and now has a trade, is earning a good wage and the only debt he has is his mortgage – not bad at 22. Are we disappointed in our son’s choices? Absolutely not. So many students are studying ‘soft’ degrees and having a very expensive party for three years. Name withheld, via email

Fiona, I completely agree with your thoughts on James Dyson training our engineers of the future. My son left school at 16 to do an engineering apprenticeship. He has been paid to learn throughout and is now, at 27, an engineer earning far more than myself, a primary school teacher at the top of the teachers’ pay scale. We need more vocational subjects in schools, to tap the potential of those with practical talents. Lynda Thomas via e-mail

Fiona, I hope the bright young graduates Dyson has taken on are not treated as badly as his first lot of employees. After the introduction of his ‘revolutionary’ vacuum cleaner he decided to close his UK factory making the staff redundant and moving production to cheaper factories abroad. Nice chap! John Hartley via e-mail