The first generation

Graph 2 displays data collected from questionnaires received from the first generation – those born to the former Polish children refugees. These returns also indicate high levels of educational and occupational achievement. All of them had gained some form of formal educational qualifications.

Just over 75% of the group completed some form of tertiary qualification, with more than 50% achieving a degree and one third of these continuing their studies to postgraduate level. Again, these people are represented in a variety of occupational groups – office workers, teachers, the computer industry, technicians/engineers, consultants and owners of businesses. One respondent was an executive manager and others include a technical writer librarian, barrister/solicitor and dentist. The diverse range of occupations taken by these children, as mentioned earlier, is an indication of the way the families have become an integral part of New Zealand society.