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Professions 'reserved for rich' | Professions 'reserved for rich' |
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Top professions such as medicine and law are increasingly being closed off to all but the most affluent families, a report into social mobility has said. | |
Former minister Alan Milburn has chaired a study for the prime minister on widening access to high-status jobs. | |
He says young people in England should have access to much better careers advice to boost their ambitions. | He says young people in England should have access to much better careers advice to boost their ambitions. |
Mr Milburn told the BBC: "We have raised the glass ceiling but I don't think we have broken through it yet." | Mr Milburn told the BBC: "We have raised the glass ceiling but I don't think we have broken through it yet." |
He said the professions had a "closed shop mentality" and "have become more and not less exclusive over time". | He said the professions had a "closed shop mentality" and "have become more and not less exclusive over time". |
Speaking on the BBC's Breakfast programme, Mr Milburn called for "a second great wave of social mobility" like that of the 1950s and 1960s to match a projected growth in the number of managerial jobs. | Speaking on the BBC's Breakfast programme, Mr Milburn called for "a second great wave of social mobility" like that of the 1950s and 1960s to match a projected growth in the number of managerial jobs. |
"It's not that Britain doesn't have talent, to coin a phrase - Britain has lots of talent," he added. | "It's not that Britain doesn't have talent, to coin a phrase - Britain has lots of talent," he added. |
"What we have got to do is open up these opportunities so they are available for everybody." | "What we have got to do is open up these opportunities so they are available for everybody." |
The supply of education places could be opened up to greater competition, particularly in areas of underperformance Alan MilburnChairman of the social mobility panel Closing the opportunity gaps | The supply of education places could be opened up to greater competition, particularly in areas of underperformance Alan MilburnChairman of the social mobility panel Closing the opportunity gaps |
But speaking to BBC News, Daily Mail journalist Quentin Letts said Mr Milburn was presenting an "Edwardian" view of the class system. | |
"If you only brought back selection into state schools and you had grammar schools again and you had a decent education system, people would be able to power though this," Mr Letts added. | |
"We have a country in which a former circus manager's son, John Major, became prime minister. Don't talk about glass ceilings." | |
'Surrogate pushy parent' | 'Surrogate pushy parent' |
Writing in the Times newspaper, Mr Milburn also says he agrees with the Tories that parental choice should be extended and schools should be subject to greater competition. | |
"The Conservatives say that city academies should be extended in both primary and secondary schools," he writes. | "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." | "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. | 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. | The wide-ranging study by an independent panel of experts calls for more equal opportunities in education and employment. |
BBC home editor Mark Easton says it calls for the state to act as "a surrogate pushy parent", matching the advantages given by ambitious, articulate families. | BBC home editor Mark Easton says it calls for the state to act as "a surrogate pushy parent", matching the advantages given by ambitious, articulate families. |
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 | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 | 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. |