Hosted by Martina Dlabajova, MEP
European Parliament, room PHS5B001, Brussels
12.30pm-14.30pm, preceded by sandwich lunch
Over the past few decades globalisation, digitalisation and automation have changed the way we work and live. A recent study from Eurofound has also identified that EU citizens are increasingly concerned that young people have fewer opportunities for upward social mobility than their parents.
Social mobility is a lifelong journey: raising skill levels and preparing people for the jobs of tomorrow is only the first way to address inequality in earnings as an economy focused on ‘delivering for everyone’ is good for individual and societal growth and competitiveness. There are also societal and cultural obstacles linked to the perception of accessing certain professions: the belief that ’this is not for me’, a dangerous stigma. It is likely that only those with prior knowledge, or social capital, will appreciate the diversity of the professions and flexibility of access.
It is vital to open up access to new opportunities that help build healthy and prosperous economies where people of all backgrounds are able to flourish. But for that, people need to be equipped with the right skills with collaboration between policy makers, stakeholders and business is critical in order for improvements in social mobility.
The EU is addressing the issue from different fronts - the Skills Agenda and the launch of the European Commission European Pillar of Social Rights address both the importance of access to training and addressing inequality.
A recent ACCA report includes recommendations of the importance of improving awareness of ‘stigmatized” professions, such as accountancy, as a career choice at younger levels, and to remove barriers by introducing flexible learning routes and seeking to remove bias from the recruitment process.
To shift mentalities we need everyone to be on board and with this in mind the ACCA, PwC, European Movement International and the European Youth Forum were delighted to invite you to a lively debate hosted by Martina Dlabajova, MEP, on how improving training and education can be critical factors for social mobility.