Final answer:
Second and third degree immigrants in the U.S. were largely trained to become laborers, focusing on domestic and manual labor. They faced limited opportunities and discrimination, impacting their ability to attain higher-skilled professions or upward economic mobility.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to the roles that second and third degree immigrants in the United States assumed after attending school. Historical evidence suggests that schools were geared towards training these immigrants to become laborers, particularly in domestic and manual labor sectors. They were not usually afforded the opportunity to become skilled professionals, such as lawyers, doctors, or teachers, nor were they directed towards entrepreneurial or social activist paths.
Throughout different periods in U.S. history, the labor market's needs influenced the kind of jobs immigrants took. In recent times, approximately one-third of immigrants over the age of 25 lack a high school diploma, often resulting in employment in unskilled labor sectors such as restaurant, hotel work, lawn care, and janitorial work. This shift increases the supply of unskilled labor, which can lead to diminishing wages for those jobs and create challenges for low-skilled U.S. workers who must compete in the same job market.
Different waves of immigrants, such as Southern and Eastern Europeans, faced discrimination and had limited opportunities, which typically led them to take up lower-paying, physically demanding jobs that were often shunned by other workers. These immigrants were unlikely to experience upward mobility in their early generations and often formed ethnic enclaves where they could rely on each other for support and employment opportunities.