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Young urged to raise aspirations | Young urged to raise aspirations |
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Young people in England should have access to much better careers advice to boost their ambitions, suggests a report into social mobility. | Young people in England should have access to much better careers advice to boost their ambitions, suggests a report into social mobility. |
Former minister Alan Milburn is to report to the prime minister on how to widen access to high-status jobs. | Former minister Alan Milburn is to report to the prime minister on how to widen access to high-status jobs. |
The report warns that entry to professions, such as law and medicine, is becoming more socially exclusive. | |
Mr Milburn, writing in the Times, says poorer pupils will miss out unless the school attainment gap is reduced. | |
"A huge expansion in professional jobs in the next decade will bring the potential for a new wave of social mobility," he says. | |
The supply of education places could be opened up to greater competition, particularly in areas of underperformance Alan MilburnChairman of the social mobility panel | |
"But, as our report makes clear, generations of low and middle-income young people will miss out unless we do more to close the educational attainment gap in schools." | |
Mr Milburn, chairman of a cross-party panel on social mobility, also says he agrees with the Tories that the supply of education places could be opened up to greater competition. | |
"The Conservatives say that city academies should be extended in both primary and secondary schools," he writes. | |
"They also say, rightly, that the supply of education places could be opened up to greater competition, particularly in areas of underperformance." | |
Mr Milburn's report, Fair Access to the Professions, calls for the professions and universities to publish figures on the social background of their intake. | |
The wide-ranging study by an independent panel of experts calls for more equal opportunities in education and employment. | |
It says that young people from all backgrounds should have the type of careers advice that would match the advantages given by ambitious, articulate parents. | It says that young people from all backgrounds should have the type of careers advice that would match the advantages given by ambitious, articulate parents. |
It wants to raise the aspirations of more young people to have the expectations of professional families, giving them confidence when making decisions about university and jobs. | It wants to raise the aspirations of more young people to have the expectations of professional families, giving them confidence when making decisions about university and jobs. |
No-fee degrees | |
The report warns that people entering careers such as medicine, law and journalism are increasingly likely to be from more affluent families. | |
Currently 75% of judges and 45% of senior civil servants are independently educated. | |
The report also calls for greater monitoring of the social background of those entering professions, in the way that figures are published for race and gender. | |
It also criticises informal recruitment systems, such as internships and work placement, as becoming a back-door for better-off, better-connected youngsters. | It also criticises informal recruitment systems, such as internships and work placement, as becoming a back-door for better-off, better-connected youngsters. |
Recruiting more students from a wider range of social backgrounds into university is seen as a key to social mobility. | Recruiting more students from a wider range of social backgrounds into university is seen as a key to social mobility. |
As such it proposes no-fee degrees for students living at home. | As such it proposes no-fee degrees for students living at home. |
But the report suggests that much more needs to be done on admissions - with fears that the university system can reinforce disadvantage rather than reduce it. | But the report suggests that much more needs to be done on admissions - with fears that the university system can reinforce disadvantage rather than reduce it. |
It calls for leading universities to take into account the social background of pupils - particularly when pupils from low-achieving schools are competing against independent school pupils with a tradition of very high grades. | It calls for leading universities to take into account the social background of pupils - particularly when pupils from low-achieving schools are competing against independent school pupils with a tradition of very high grades. |
Social intake | |
There are also calls for universities to become more involved in schools, such as by having representatives on boards of governors. | There are also calls for universities to become more involved in schools, such as by having representatives on boards of governors. |
It suggests that higher education should be more widely available in further education education colleges - making it more accessible to mature students wanting to study locally. | It suggests that higher education should be more widely available in further education education colleges - making it more accessible to mature students wanting to study locally. |
There are also proposals to give extra opportunities for pupils in the lowest-achieving schools, in the form of vouchers for further and higher education courses. | There are also proposals to give extra opportunities for pupils in the lowest-achieving schools, in the form of vouchers for further and higher education courses. |
And it calls for more detailed publication of the social intake of university courses. | And it calls for more detailed publication of the social intake of university courses. |
The report does not only focus on the poorest part of the population - but suggests that many middle-income families are also missing out in an increasingly polarised jobs market. | The report does not only focus on the poorest part of the population - but suggests that many middle-income families are also missing out in an increasingly polarised jobs market. |
With a high proportion of new jobs being classified as professional or managerial, the report emphasises the importance of ensuring fair access. | With a high proportion of new jobs being classified as professional or managerial, the report emphasises the importance of ensuring fair access. |