Expat kids have better education and career prospects

Expat parents worried their children may be disadvantaged in life by being ‘third-culture kids’ should rest easy, as the expat experience gives them an edge over their contemporaries back home.

According to the American anthropologist and sociologist Dr Ruth Hill Useem who coined the ‘third-culture kids’ (TCK) term, the offspring of expats were at least four times more likely to gain a university degree than kids who’d never left their home countries. In addition, 40 per cent of the group continued their education and gained advanced degrees, against an average of five per cent. A recent article in the Gulf News seems to confirm her findings, with experts noting TCKs have higher employment credentials not only because of their advanced qualifications but also due to their early life experiences overseas.

One Dubai human resources specialist believes the early life experiences of expat kids gives them attitudes which work in their favour such as adaptability, flexibility and high levels of tolerance, all of which are invaluable career skills. An employer in the field of marketing agrees, saying a freshman with no experience of the wider world would have far fewer insights into varied ethnic communities, whereas TCKs would have already been exposed to a variety of religions, cultures and ethnicities, thus broadening their insights.

Another UAE-based anthropologist noted TCKs are far more tolerant and open-minded due to their personal experiences of diverse cultures, with many able to communicate in at least one other language. Other advantages of having been an expat child include heightened cultural awareness and a broader world view. Downsides may include a sense of restlessness and rootlessness as regards the concept of ‘home’, and struggles with personal identity may follow on from frequent moves. International schools are well aware of potential TCK problems, and have expert counsellors in hand to deal with any feelings of loss and change.