Off Topic Politics Thread

[San Tejón]

I agree with you about apprenticeships because in simplistic terms they filled the large educational gap between non skilled and university. And at a later date if they felt they could achieve better academic qualifications that could also be possible.
The apprenticeship route suited this group of youngsters and at the same time benefitted the country by supplying services for homes and industry, but therein lies the problem. The majority of apprenticeships and skilled manual worker jobs were in industry, but we have very little manufacturing these days. Apart from the building industry it has long since puzzled me as to where the people who would have worked in manufacturing are employed now. If you look at Southampton as an example, nearly all of the major employers have closed their factories. Apart from the loss of both skilled and non skilled jobs, apprenticeships went with them.
So as much as Burnham has mentioned apprenticeships I don't know where they will be or in enough numbers that will benefit youngsters and the country in general. I hope he can because we seem to be raising a country of young people without aspirations or even hope for their future.

A glut of apprenticeships in the building trades would potentially support the aim to build the council houses that need to be built.
With climate change heating up the summers there must be an opportunity for air conditioning companies to grow and supply homes and not just businesses.
Southampton City Council used to take on 6 or so new apprentices every year, across electricians, chippies, plumbers and painters and decorators, but I’m not sure they run their own maintenance crews now so no opportunities there.
Council depots were a safe bet for taking government inspectors to, for checking on the welfare of the apprentices, because of them being so PC, until that day it wasn’t.
Between organising the visit and turning up for it, one of the lads working there had his stag night.
Nothing wrong with that but, as the female inspector and I realised, whilst waiting in the reception area one of the “guests” at the stag do was an inflatable sex doll, that had been carefully boxed up and left on the shelf opposite where we were sitting.
All best laid plans etc.