Early Career Trajectories of Higher Educated Non-Western Ethnic Minorities in the Netherlands

• In Event: Career Pathways in Higher Education

Abstract

This study explores how the early career trajectories of professional higher education graduates with a first- or second-generation non-western ethnic-minority background evolve within the first few years after graduation as compared to the Dutch native professional higher education graduates. For this purpose, data from four graduate cohorts (N=4,948) from a Dutch national graduate study on five labour market indicators were studied at two time-points, one year after graduation and four to eight years after graduation. While no wage differences could be established, both ethnic-minority groups were found to experience significantly more employment difficulties as compared to the majority at both time points. Furthermore, on both time points first-generation minority graduates experienced significantly more skill deficiencies as compare to the majority.

Authors

• Barbara Belfi, Maastricht University

• Jim Allen, Maastricht University

• Babs Jacobs, Maastricht University

• Mark :Levels, Maastricht University

• Kars Van Oosterhout, Maastricht University