The other evening I was privileged to attend the preview of the final collections of arts and design students at Newcastle College. I saw everything from minutely detailed photographs of tattooed hands to 3-D water features designed especially for Matfen Hall Hotel, from the graphics designed for a would-be undertakers called Above and Beyond to an exquisite wedding dress screen-printed with wartime love-letters actually written by the designer's mum and dad. It was exciting to see so much talent under one roof - and all of it done by students who either left school two years ago at just 16 or, incredibly in some cases, more than 30 years ago. "We have learned from each other," one mature student, aged 50 plus, told me. "It has been a revelation." Meanwhile, thousands of youngsters who have just taken their GCSEs in the schools where league tables seem to count for everything will be reluctantly returning to their desks in September to study for AS and A-Levels in traditional subjects that really don't inspire them or even interest them, simply because they have not been encouraged to consider other options and they don't know what else is out there or what else to do. In the old days, the options for school leavers were limited and poor unless they were lucky enough to get an apprenticeship. These days we are increasingly short of plumbers, electricians, painters and decorators, joiners, nurses and skilled carers for our elderly. Yet the only people you hear pushing youngsters to consider such trades are parents, not teachers. And without the back-up and encouragement from school, it's all too easy to stay silent and lamely follow friends into sixth form. Surely they should be told in good time that there is a world out there beyond the traditional classroom, packed with career opportunities and practical skills for those who hate studying or lack the good memory they need to get standard results. By all means encourage further education, but ensure it doesn't get lost in translation. Life for some may very well start with A-Levels - but not for everyone. ********** I was having such a giggle at the ad in the latest copy of the Be Happy magazine that I even read it out to the kids. "Save £1,000 on the cost of buying a computer," it said. "There's nothing more satisfying than the click, click of a traditional typewriter." Oh, yeah? I said smartly. One week later, having endured countless computer crashes, worms and viruses plus the frustration of having to write this entire column by hand, I have just installed what is mysteriously described as a personal firewall - and written out a cheque for the manual typewriter similar to the one I first used 30 years ago. So much for progress. Page 2: Feeling blue on Diana memorial | 
