Healey Resignation

[Papyrophile]

John Healey resigns! Another nail in SKS's coffin, or the only way to force a showdown?

It is. Do you know if trades people like your former pupil are invited into schools to give talks and show how successful a career choice it can be? Otherwise it’s really sad as if even with all the incentives in the world, the apprentices behave like those described by the roofers, you can understand why they are reluctant to take them on. It would be interesting to hear the apprentices views too as to way early hard work and enthusiasm seems short lived.

I'm retired now and I don't know what the current situation is. I remember years ago being dismayed that trades were hardly represented at careers evenings.
So many tradespeople work on their own and can't afford the time and cost of training an apprentice so didn't want to take part.
If I were still teaching I would hope that young men like the roofer and a neighbour's son who wasn't really interested at school but is now a very hard-working and successful carpenter would come and talk to pupils. It's so much needed.
Apart from financial incentives for employers further education colleges should be far better funded with good quality teaching.

No one will insure work experience dc doing trades and the self employed one man business just won’t do it. Colleges of FE are underfunded and they are certainly the Cinderella of education post 16 and 18.

Small trades companies tend to recruit their own dc and mates of dc. They cannot afford an expensive mistake. Plus a lack of trades keeps the price high - so who benefits from that? Yes, the trades!

Nobody benefits. Hopefully Milburn’s report will result in dispelling this kind of negativity and getting some of these kids into jobs.

Something has definitely gone wrong along the way. When I left school at 16 there were real choices - straight to work, college, apprenticeship, apprenticeship with day release, university (by far the least common). We were encouraged to study something that would lead to a job, I was never encouraged to study for study’s sake. No such thing as gap years. I think the mass push towards university has a lot to answer for. I think trades people are awesome, I think plasterers are my favourite imagine producing such smooth gorgeous walls at the end of a days work, real skill. I’d be really proud if I were a parent with a son or daughter who learned a trade.

I agree.
Many years ago, I suppose when the push to get young people to university had started, I asked a mother at Parents' Evening if her son had any ideas about what he wanted to do when he left school. 'He just wants to be a joiner,' she said, rather apologetically.
I said I thought it was an excellent plan as he'd have a skill that would always be in demand and she was very appreciative. I hope he's had a good career.