Socially immobile

From: Neil Richardson, Kirkheaton.

YOUR lead story on improving social mobility (The Yorkshire Post, May 1) indicates the potentially difficult challenge of moving between social circles where new roles and values must be practised.

Would someone become a dentist or English teacher by attending the appropriate institution for the necessary years – or is their success in such ventures strongly influenced by a taken-for-granted prior lifestyle which has included – inter alia serious conversation with adults, discipline, reading, hobbies, and learning from mistakes?

How might a modest government department or commission engineer change in the UK’s ever-changing social history?