Aspirations & Inequality: How class and ethnicity shape whether children speak about their futures with confidence

This presentation presents findings from a qualitative study exploring how senior primary children (aged 10–12) from diverse social class and ethnic backgrounds in Ireland perceived future educational and career opportunities, including teaching as a profession.

Research indicates that career aspirations start forming early in life (Helwig, 2001, 2004; Schultheiss, 2005). Evidence also suggests that pupils attending more affluent schools are more likely to aim for professional, high-income, or creative careers compared to their peers in socioeconomically disadvantaged schools (Chambers et al., 2018). Within the Irish context, young people’s career ambitions are shaped significantly by their family circumstances and broader social class position (Olsthoorn, 2019; Connolly & Healy, 2004b; Devine et al., 2020). Little is known about how children understand who can become a teacher, or why they aspire to certain careers at all. This study bridges that gap by listening directly to children’s perspectives across two socio-economically contrasting primary schools: one designated disadvantaged (DEIS) and one non-DEIS. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory (Charmaz, 2000, 2006, 2014), through semi-structured focus groups, individual interviews, and a drawing activity, the study generated rich data about how the participants imagined their futures, including the barriers they anticipated. This webinar focuses on one key category from the findings which reveals how children’s sense of opportunity, confidence, and career aspirations were mediated by social class and ethnicity.  

Despite almost all participants reporting that they perceived high levels of opportunity in their lives, important differences emerged. Children from ‘higher’ social class and some migrant backgrounds confidently expressed aspirations for high-earning, creative, or elite professions (e.g., engineering, medicine, professional sports), without reference to potential failure. They perceived their success as achievable through effort, family support, and educational opportunities. In contrast, children from ‘lower’ social class backgrounds (including majority, migrant and minority ethnic children) tended to identify multiple potential futures, describing the need for “back-up plans” and expressing hesitancy or self-doubt. They reported potential financial, academic, and social constraints, indicating that opportunity felt conditional rather than guaranteed.

These findings highlight how confidence itself operates as a form of social privilege, shaping not just what children aspire to, but how they anticipate pursuing those aspirations. The study raises critical questions about equity in access to not only resources, but to aspirations more generally. Furthermore, these findings and relevant theory, particularly Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent et al., 1994), will be interrogated to provide recommendations to policy, practice, and future research.

Key Learning Outcomes

By the end of this webinar, participants will:

• Understand how social class and ethnicity influenced a sample of Irish children’s perceptions of opportunity and confidence when imagining their futures.

• Recognise the role of confidence and contingency plans (“back-up plans”) as indicators of socio-demographic related inequalities.

• Consider practical and policy-focused implications for schools, educators, and national access strategies seeking to support and empower, in an inclusive manner, children in identifying and working towards their career aspirations.

CICA Core Competencies

• Career development theory

• Communication and interpersonal skills

• Ethical practice

• Diversity and inclusion

• Professional practice application

CICA Specialised Competencies

• Diverse clients

• Research skills