That's the problem usual there have been years of almost subliminal messaging telling us that academia is all-important, while completely ignoring the fact that we're not all academic.
The push to get everyone into Uni has affected the job market - I needed a degree for my job, I am an administrator, I have a philosophy and theology degree. It's bugger all to do with my job, and I could have done my job with my GCSE qualifications easily but the expectation these days is that anyone with a decent education goes to uni - and it's bollocks.
I think I see it differently because the most successful people I know did vocational qualifications - back in the 50's and 60's, they are well off and successful and talented. But they aren't academic - they're successful because they learned to do something they were good at, and therefore enjoyed. I doubt they would be as successful if they had grown up in the 80's/90's like I did as their skill set isn't valued the same way these days.
I really hope that if my children are not academic that I will go out of my way to help them to succeed in whatever it is they're good at. Unfortunately these days if your child is 'handy' it's only the wealthy that have that option as they can chose an independent school that fosters those skills.
Which is ludicrous to me.
When I think of all these kids who are 'left behind' and essentially told their skills are useless and pointless it makes me really fucking angry. Really, I wish we (as a society) would start from the premise that almost all kids are good at something, and that something should be identified and nurtured.
I honestly think it would improve so much, even things like literacy/maths skills, because kids are more likely to engage with those things if they are a small part of a wider syllabus that they enjoy. Rather than the be all and end-all of a life that ends in a university place that they're pretty sure they don't want/won't get anyway.
And honestly I think people who look down on vocational qualifications are wankers.