Welsh Conservative Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz has slammed Labour’s changes to the Civil Service Internship Scheme, warning that classifying applicants based on their parent’s jobs when they were 14 as reported by news outlets is “a step backwards for meritocracy, fairness and common sense.”
In a joint letter to the Prime Minister and the First Minister, Mr Kurtz argued that the new criteria undermine the principle of meritocracy and revive outdated stereotypes about class and occupation. He questioned how arbitrary job titles can be used to determine someone’s social status, highlighting that train drivers whose job is stereotypically a working-class job often earn more than teachers, which is usually classified as middle class.
As the son of a farmer, Mr Kurtz pointed out the absurdity of making assumptions about income or privilege based on labels alone. Mr Kurtz also warned that young people in Wales must not be disadvantaged by a “tick-box” approach that prioritises background over ability.
Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Samuel Kurtz MS said:
“We should be helping young people based on their own ability and potential, not shutting them out because of what their parents happened to do when they were 14.
“Some of the Government’s assumptions about class are just plain wrong. Train drivers can earn more than teachers. Farmers can be wealthy or struggling. You simply can’t categorise people’s opportunities with a tick-box exercise.
“I’ve asked the First Minister to confirm that the Welsh Government won’t be following suit. Every young person deserves a fair shot, regardless of postcode or parentage.”
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