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I agree it is hard work. I'm the same as you, I retrained and no it wasn't easy but the opportunity was there. Retraining and being socially mobile is one of the things I'm grateful for. If I didn't live in the UK I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have had the opportunity for either.
bluebikerider-
The UK has actually LOWERED its social mobility compared to other EU countries. Little USA eh? (sorry we've mocked the UK like this in The Netherlands for years and I'm afraid some of the mocking is a little true...)
(this annoys me greatly btw I think you need to be given a chance, and maybe more than 1 cos life can happen)
But I can't fault the Open University great institution! Perhaps we all need to volunteer more in education.
JWestland
As somebody retraining herself (admin just pays shit) it's easy to say, but hard to do if you are:
Depressed (some people feel hopeless)
The environment is shit (chavs, arseholes, being looked down upon)
There's no funding (hi Tories)
Moving home (to what? nobody needs steel workers, some people have families)
So while I agree it's the smart thing to do, it's not easy at all.
Deprived areas also can suffer from chronic undereducation, such as parents that can't read properly themselves.
[I am agreeing though some people just bitch and moan, but even those that WANT sometimes need a hand up. And a little luck. And a network. It's the same for me!]