"Good global jobs are going to be created, the opportunities for social mobility are there in a greater way than at any time since 1945," he said addressing British and German academics at the International Institute for Strategic Studies on Friday.

"But the young people needed new training if Britain is to head off the challenge from China, India and other fast-growing economies for the world's leading jobs."

The UK's big challenges include security, climate change and dealing with the power of the internet, but helping everyone to ‘unlock their potential to the full’ is key, he said.

The Prime Minister called on Britons to seize a larger share of the world's top jobs, promising a surge in employment training and education.

"We used to talk about national economies in terms of there being limited room at the top and therefore the opportunity for social mobility was itself limited. In a global economy there's no limit to the national room at the top. We can build in our countries a higher aspiration culture. The opportunity revolution is one that is unlocking all of the potential of all of the people," Brown said.