Educational attainment, occupational achievements, career peaks: The Netherlands in the second part of the twentieth century

Abstract

This paper answers questions on the educational attainment and occupational career of men in The Netherlands whose working life began in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, in so far as their job history is available until at least the age of 45 years. The analysis draws on five Dutch retrospective life-history surveys conducted between 1992 and 2003. The results show that a man's education depends upon his father's job, and that this effect has not changed for labour market entry cohorts. When explaining a man's first job, his father's job is influential once more, independent of a man's education. A man's education has a direct positive effect on his first job, his job after 10 and 20 years, and his peak job, but again the differences in status attainment between labour market entry cohorts are limited. Findings also reveal that advantages accumulate during a person's working life. Apart from a higher level of education, a higher first job has an independent positive effect on a man's job after 10 and 20 years, as well as on his peak status.