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‘We want the top jobs and need better careers advice’ - Young people tell Alan Milburn's review

CAB044/09
10 June 2009

A new survey published today by the Panel on Fair Access to Professions [PDF 160KB, 27 pages] reveals that young people feel they are not given the careers advice they need but have a thirst for a professional career.

Young people have been a vital part of the Fair Access Panel’s work and over 1,500 young people from all parts of the country took part in the survey, conducted by the charity Icould in conjunction with the Fair Access Panel.

The survey is released on the day as Parliament debates ‘Social Mobility and Fair Access to the Professions’.

Nearly two-thirds of the respondents to the survey commissioned by the panel want more careers support, highlighting work experience opportunities as key to getting a foot in the door.

Over a third of 13-19 year olds want a career in the key professions – with teaching, medicine and law the favoured occupations.

But:

• 70% of under 14s say they have had no careers advice
• While 45% over 14s have had no or very poor/limited advice
• Girls rate the advice somewhat worse than boys

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn MP was commissioned by the Prime Minister to chair an independent review on social mobility and access to the professions, working with an advisory panel made up of experts and representatives from a range of professions.

The young people were asked what they would like the Government to do to support young people into the top professions. Over 1 in 3 asked for more support, over 1 in 10 more work experience opportunities and 1 in 6 want better advice and information.

Ideas and suggestions put forward by young people to tackle the challenges of entering a professional career include:

• Open days for the professions with placements for those interesting in pursuing a career
• An expansion in good quality work placements in careers where experience and contacts are key
• Providing role models of people who actually get into top professions

Commenting on the survey of young people, the Chair of the Fair Access Panel the Rt. Hon. Alan Milburn MP said:

“Young people have no shortage of aspiration.  But they need help in getting there and we need to do more to support them.

“Good quality careers advice is needed more than ever to help young people navigate what is an ever more complex labour market.  The evidence my panel has received makes it pretty obvious that careers services need a radical overhaul.  We will be making recommendations on how to do so.

Britain's got talent – it’s time to unlock it.”

The parliamentary debate, launched by new Cabinet Office minister Angela Smith, is taking place this afternoon and will discuss the work of the Panel and its first two reports.

Today's debate follows a report published by the Fair Access Panel in May, highlighting best practice initiatives aimed at encouraging more young people to pursue a professional career. The Fair Access: Good Practice report summarises the views and suggestions of over 120 organisations and professional bodies from across more than 40 sectors on how Government and the professions could provide real opportunities to help people to get better jobs and better their prospects.

The Panel will publish its final recommendations to the Government in the early summer.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Panel was announced in January as part of the Government's New Opportunities White Paper [External website], outlining the Government’s strategy to improve social mobility.
2. The Fair Access Panel was commissioned by the Prime Minister to review the processes and structures that govern recruitment into the professions, and make recommendations to both the Government and the Professions on action that will improve access for all. The Panel will make its final recommendations in the early summer.
3. The Panel consists of eighteen representatives from the Professions, (including the media, law, business and finance, architecture, politics, and medicine) with the Rt. Hon. Alan Milburn MP as Chair. For a full list of representatives and Professions and further information see:
   http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/accessprofessions

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