Equal Access to Education and Professional Jobs: Social Mobility
Social mobility is essential for a fairer society and the well-being of individuals. Equal access to education and professional jobs is necessary for improving movement between social classes. Social mobility in the United Kingdom has stalled since 1980. What consequence is that the United Kingdom ranks near the bottom between the OECD countries for social mobility income. Continued reduction in job opportunities and difficulties for migrants in getting good quality jobs leads to severe social mobility issues in the UK, although improving education mobility.
Job opportunities creation decreased since 1980, affecting the reduction in skilled jobs with wealthier salaries and increased difficulties for people from disadvantaged families to get a professional career or better-paid job. Fewer workplaces than in previous decades lead to more demanding getting to the higher social classes than the lower ones. Furthermore, The research revealed that between 1976 and 2000, the probability of getting a professional class job was six times higher if a parent had a professional job. This rapid increase of parents' salaries influences on future children's salaries and is a vital issue for further improvement in social mobility.
Furthermore, recent research has shown that situation for working mothers has improved over the last few years. However, women still have difficulties returning to previous employment or positions that agree to take part-time hours, often in lower classes. However, the current expansion in demand for STEAM jobs might positively affect social mobility in the United Kingdom. Improvement in technology gives opportunities to students from disadvantaged families to study online or re-skill themselves.
Another reason to rank social mobility in the UK as a severe issue is the difficulties that face migrants in the UK. According to (….), migrants are more likely to be unemployed than British people. First-generation migrants are at the most significant risk of not moving between social classes. Still, difficulties in getting a good job could also see it for the second generation, people who have been born in the United Kingdom. As the language barrier could explain why first-generation migrants find it hard to get a well-paid job and higher education, it is still unidentified why second-generation immigrants also have a lower possibility of movement between social classes.
Hoverer has seen significant improvement in educational mobility, which significantly impacts closing the educational attainment gap. Over the past decades, more students over 19 get a higher education. Furthermore, between 2011 and 2012, GSCE results improved, closing the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. The improvement could be especially seen in London schools. It is also seen (13%) increased between 1970-2012 in acceptance to elite universities like Cambridge or Oxford for students from low-income families and minorities and women. That could bring fairer access to the job market, close the gap between advantages and disadvantages, and improve social mobility in the UK. Although there is an improvement to Russel Group's access to higher education, British students are still more likely to be accepted to elite universities in the UK and get better jobs and salaries after graduating.
