Disadvantaged young people ‘at risk of being locked out’ of emerging tech opportunities
Joe Lepper
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Action is being called for to ensure disadvantaged young people can access education, work and training opportunities that will become increasingly available through virtual reality technology around the Metaverse.
The call has been made by social mobility charity EY Foundation which is concerned young people from low-income backgrounds could miss out on “opportunities in this fast-emerging area of technology”.
The virtual reality social technology involved in the Metaverse is set to offer users a shared 3D, immersive experience and is widely tipped to be the next phase of the internet with a global value that could top £10 trillion by 2030, according to financial experts.
Many of the ingredients for the Metaverse already exist, such as through gaming platforms like Fortnite and Roblox, and it has the potential to be used more widely across work, education, and training.
But unless action is taken, young disadvantaged people could find themselves locked out of this technology, warns EY Foundation, particularly in terms of their potential career opportunities, in tech roles to develop the Metaverse as well as using its interactive technology to gain an insight into a range of jobs.
EY Foundation wants to ensure that widely available work experience placements and training using immersive technology are in place.
It is also calling on the government to ensure Metaverse skills training is included in regional local skills improvement plans.
Young disadvantaged people are also at risk of missing out on the Metaverse to meet people or access job opportunities if it is too expensive to use. The charity wants to see it is readily available to more young people through their mobile phone.
In addition, local networks of Metaverse ‘career influencers’ should be set up to further bolster access to training and opportunities in using the tech for disadvantaged young people.
These recommendations have been made based on responses from young people from low-income backgrounds who attended sessions the EY Foundation ran involving Metaverse technology experts.
Look back at phase one of our Metaverse Artist Project where visual artist, Alina Akbar & EY Metaverse Lab creative technologist, Danielle McPhatter, scope out themes on social mobility and find ways to include unique perspectives for meaningful upward mobility.#MetaverseMondays pic.twitter.com/JowHSgkzLI
— EY Foundation (@EY_Foundation) August 7, 2023
“The Metaverse feels like a place which could remove barriers to getting a much deeper understanding of different jobs. It could totally change work experience so that a young person can access a diverse range of roles in any industry they want to explore,” said one young person who attended the sessions.
Another said: “Unless you get the chance to experience what it’s like to be in the Metaverse, it’s hard for young people from communities like mine to know if it is relevant to them.
“So will there be support to help them find out about the sort of jobs that might be available in the Metaverse?”
Meanwhile, another attendee pointed out the expensive technology involved is a barrier for young people.
They said: “Is there anything that can be done to make sure people who can’t afford the latest devices can continue to use the Metaverse as it grows and develops?"
EY Foundation chief executive Lynne Peabody said that any organisation supporting young people “must look ahead to the sort of world they are likely to be working in”.
“This means acting now to advocate for the action needed to unlock opportunities and minimise risk associated with new technologies like the Metaverse.”
