Keuzestress? Een kwalitatief onderzoek naar het studiekeuzeproces van autochtone en allochtone jongeren in Nederland, met een focus op bestuurlijke studies

Abstract

Public organizations in the Netherlands suffer from low ethnic diversity in their staff. To increase ethnic diversity, it is important to stimulate ethnic minorities to aspire a career in the public sector. To achieve this, it is crucial that bicultural youth becomes more interested in public administration. This article examines the academic study aspirations of native and bicultural youth from the Netherlands. Data were collected by in-depth interviews with native Dutch and bicultural students in high school and university. Analysis showed that youths make their choice based on three different choice sets, their perceived behavioral control, and are influenced by their social environment. The tools youngsters use in their choice are described, as well as the perceived important features in the academic education. Bicultural youths are more likely to choose an education with more prestige, and an education which enables them to make a change to social injustice. An interest in administrative studies seems to be developed at a young age, by interaction with administrative functions and relatives or acquaintances in the administrative sector. Suggestions are given for future research and policy implications to increase ethnic diversity in public administration.