Sir Tom said he intended to invest millions to support future leaders

Sir Tom Hunter called for an end to "snobbery" over vocational education.

He also urged universities to consider cutting the length of courses from four years to three years.

The ideas were floated by Scotland's richest man during a speech in Edinburgh about youngsters who are not in education, employment or training.

Sir Tom called for councils to allow head teachers far greater freedom to deliver the curriculum and for an end to the "heavy and deep bureaucracy that governs our schools".

He described how a programme in Ayrshire that taught young people mechanics was heavily oversubscribed, with youngsters turning up in the evenings to attend as there was no room during the school day.

"So as an idea, what if you gave the educational budget to the child and let him or her, with the teacher and careers officer's support, decide what best suited them?" he asked.

If my boy chooses car mechanics, he's as good as the one that chooses university Sir Tom Hunter

The founder of the Sports Division retail chain recently helped fund a �1.5m project through his charitable foundation and the Scottish Executive, investing in three Edinburgh schools in a bid to break the cycle of disadvantage.

He appealed for the subject to be "above politics" and denied that the problem could take a generation to solve.

"It is precisely that type of thinking that will see another 15,000 young people drop into the abyss year upon year," he said.

"If my boy chooses car mechanics, he's as good as the one that chooses university."

Sir Tom said he intended to invest "millions" in supporting Scotland's future leaders - and went on to question calls for extra money for universities.