When the pipes burst or a fuse blows, getting hold of a plumber or electrician is not so easy and people are starting to realise why. The British attitude to actually learning a trade as opposed to  studying for a pointless degree that no employer wants is finally changing.

Academic excellence has always been regarded as superior to vocational or practical skills in British society, a legacy of our now defunct class system. All of a sudden there are thousands of well educated but practically useless young people  looking for relevant jobs of which there are very few whilst there is a shortage in the practical trades that everybody requires.

It`s the teaching profession that needs re-education and for once should look to the likes of Germany, China and japan for manufacturing inspiration.

Oh but wait a minute did not a certain Iron lady all but destroy the UK as a manufacturing nation.