A Case Study on the Impact of a Career Exploration Program on the Career Maturation Process of a Student at a Meister High School

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate a student’s career maturity during a career exploration program based on the ecological system perspective and to propose directions for the career maturation process to help H. Meister High School students to get jobs. A single-case 12-session career exploration program was applied to a first-year student at H. Meister High School in U. City for 90 minutes per session twice a week. To verify the effects of the program, this study conducted a pre-test and post-test of career maturity to analyze changes. In addition, the study qualitatively analyzed changes in the program activity sheets and process evaluation sheets per session. The results of the study are as follows: Firstly, the career exploration program based on the ecological system perspective conducted with the student at H. Meister High School improved the student’s career maturity. Secondly, changes were observed in the scores in the sub-factors of career maturity between the pre-test and the post-test. Significant differences in the results of the analysis of the sub-factors of career maturity indicate that the program had a statistically positive impact on the career maturation process of the participant. In conclusion, as a result of the in-depth implementation of the program for 12 sessions, the participant expressed his desires which were clarified. In addition, a positive career maturation process appears to have taken place, owing to the self-directed program that led the participant to initiate plans and explore his career by himself. This study was conducted as a single case based on the ecological system perspective concerning career exploration and the career maturation process, but it will be necessary to expand the study to investigate the effects of group counseling, information exchange considering peer influences, common discussions on goal-setting, and other methods on the career maturation process.