Naïve or Persistent Optimism? The Changing Vocational Aspirations of Children of Immigrants at the Transition from School to Work

Abstract

Children of immigrants are found to have higher aspirations than their native peers, despite lower educational outcomes and poor labour market opportunities. Analysing the development of aspirations shows that students with a migration background not only aim high while still in compulsory education, but also stay optimistic. This persistent optimism indicates that the high aspirations are not the result of a naïve misconception of labour market opportunities, but that the children of immigrants are inherently more ambitious than their native peers.