Skilled labour shortage
SIR – Levelling up is needed, and more selective education places in grammar schools (Letters, May 29) may help provide opportunities across the country.
However, the key to wide and extensive levelling up is vocational and technical education, which has been destroyed by government policy over many years.
Yet again, our politicians show rigid views about the importance of academic education and training, and pay lip service to practical skills-based programmes.
Surely the current shortage of skilled labour, whether it is caused by Covid or Brexit or by something else, points to a lack of training in areas such as catering, IT, electronics, banking, nursing, social care, HGV driving, gardening, building and, of course, vocational teaching.
Real policy change to develop skilled workers is required if we are serious about economic growth and levelling up.
Terence Dillingham
Former vice principal, Worcester College of Technology
SIR – I read with interest letters on grammar schools and the doors they opened for those who passed the 11 plus. No mention is made, however, of the strong education available for those of us who failed the 11 plus but passed the 13 plus.
I went to a technical college when I passed the 13 plus. There were two streams: commercial for the girls and technical for the boys.
I was taught to read a balance sheet and put together a profit-and-loss account, and had lessons in commerce, world affairs, business English and much more.
The boys were taught technical drawing and received a practical education that fitted them to become carpenters, plumbers or similar, or to get good jobs in local factories.
The skills taught to both streams are badly needed today.
Susan Hatton
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire
SIR – Your report (May 30) on the Government considering lifting the ban on new grammar schools made my blood run cold when it mentioned that civil servants were opposed to the move.
My understanding was that the purpose of the Civil Service is to advise its political masters (who we elect as our representatives) and then implement the policy that their masters decide upon.
In what universe are civil servants entitled to have any other role than this advisory one?
Bill Davidson
Balderton, Nottinghamshire