“Sheffield’s industry of education”

With all his cleverness, learning, and qualifications, Mr Hersztek’s failure to learn a bit more about the city to which he was coming surprises me. (Isn’t Sheffield awful? Letter from Mr Filip Hersztek, the Star, January 29).

Mr Hersztek: Sheffield is an erstwhile industrial city whose heavy industry has gone.

There isn’t that much employment around.

This isn’t exactly a carefully-guarded secret: nor are we unique in the Western world.

However, we do have one splendid new industry that’s doing well.And that is education, of which he is a consumer.

We can’t provide him with a job.

Sorry about that, but I don’t think we ever promised him one, and certainly not the high-powered one he seems to feel he merits.

There are lots of part-time jobs that students take, and they’re in pubs, bars, cafés, supermarkets, etc.

If he wants something more exalted, can’t he start up a business of his own?

We have this new gizmo called “the internet”.This means that he doesn’t need commercial premises, nor does he need to live near to his clientele.

We know our council is imperfect: we criticise it all the time (thank you, Star letters page!)

By all means go elsewhere, Mr H: nobody will stop you.

But you will miss the opportunity of living for three years in a friendly, unpretentious, creative, and inexpensive city.