I READ with pleasure the article that a “skills centre” is to be based on the campus town’s college to compliment the current apprenticeship schemes.

I write as someone who long ago served an apprenticeship and know its value.

As pointed out in the article skills underpinned by science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) knowledge are vital to the UK economy.

This is proven by UK export figures which show that next to the financial sector industries founded on STEM knowledge are the next biggest export sector.

Also proving the value of that accreditation to an individual is the fact that at the age of 70 I’m still getting job offers, not from Andover, but Canada, the Middle East, the Far East and Scotland.

I think the nearest was Bath.

Roderick D Pond, Saint Birstan Gardens, Andover