On Thu, 30 Jan 2020 11:18:28 +0000, Gareth Evans
wrote:

On 30/01/2020 08:48, Brian Gaff (Sofa 2) wrote:
A very blinkered and single minded view and almost insulting to many people
I'd suggest.

There's nothing insulting to encourage others to study to achieve a
qualification.

It was the "M Fools' Licence scheme" you were insulting.

snip

Indeed, in the days of the former RAE, otherwise-unqualified
self-taught 14-year-olds passed both that examination and
the 12 WPM Morse test with ease.

And they also built go-carts, would actually cycle to places (rather
than round in circles) on a bike they rebuilt themselves and do lots
of practical / hands-on things that the 'kid's today' aren't
interested in or have the opportunity to become interested in [1][2].

Cheers, T i m

[1] Years ago, most houses had a shed, some had a reasonable selection
of tools in that shed and a Dad (typically) who would tinker / repair
stuff in the shed or garage (when the car wasn't in there) / workshop.

We had a fairly well equipped (wood, mainly) workshop so I was able to
explore hand tools and hence building / repairing things because I was
expected to assist my Dad doing things where he needed and extra pair
of hands (sitting on sheets of ply whilst he cut them with a panel saw
or getting into confined spaces to fiberglass stuff in a boat ...), I
was able to learn how such tools might be used, treated and maintained
and how to use them.

Renovating my own cycle (found in a ditch, handed to the Police,
collected 6 weeks later) led me onto vehicles and at 16 had my first
car, had stripped and rebuilt the (seized) engine and repaired /
rebuilt many mopeds, scooters and motorcycles (most of which became my
daily transport).

Few of my mates had such opportunities and so never gained the
practical skills I did.

eg. I was the only one of us to ask for an RC boat for Xmas (at 14)
and be given a plywood kit, an RC radio kit and be expected to get on
with it on my own? Probably what spurred me to built a 6' dinghy at
woodwork at school. ;-)

[2] No mentor.