Development and Validation of the Youth Career Development Competency Scale: A Study Based on Hong Kong Youth.

Steven Sek-Yum Ngai,Chau-Kiu Cheung,Jianhong Mo,Lin Wang,Yuen-Hang Ng,Pinqiao Wang

doi:10.3390/ijerph182312494

Abstract

The challenging labor market conditions concomitant with economic globalization and advanced technology have made youth career development competency (YCDC)—young people’s ability to navigate transitions through education into productive and meaningful employment—especially important. The present study aims to develop a holistic instrument to measure YCDC in Hong Kong, which has rarely been investigated in past studies. The sample consisted of 682 youths aged 15–29 years (387 male, mean age = 19.5 years) in Hong Kong. Exploratory factor analysis of the 17-item YCDC scale resulted in four competence factors—engagement, self-understanding, career and pathway exploration, and planning and career management—which accounted for 78.95% of the total variance. The final confirmatory factor analysis results indicated good model fit (CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.06, 90% CI (0.05, 0.07), SRMR = 0.03) and good factor loadings (0.78–0.91). Moreover, the results demonstrated a satisfactory internal consistency of subscales (0.89–0.93). Subgroup consistency across subsamples categorized by gender, age, and years of residence in Hong Kong was also demonstrated. In addition, correlations between the YCDC scale and subscales with other career-related and psychosocial outcomes (i.e., career outcome expectancy, career adaptability, civic engagement, social contribution, and social integration) showed good concurrent validity. The results indicated that the YCDC scale is a valid and reliable tool for measuring career development competence among youth in the Hong Kong context. Its development sheds light on how career professionals can holistically assess young people’s navigation competence during their school-to-work transitions.

Highlights

Labor markets around the world have shifted from manufacturing to service industries owing to economic globalization and advanced technology, leading to an unpredictable job environment characterized by keen competition and job transformations [1]
The Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) analysis results revealed that the KMO coefficient was 0.96 and the Chi-square from the Barlett test was 5085.61 (p < 0.001) for the youth career development competency (YCDC) scale
The principal component analysis (PCA) concluded that the YCDC scale had a fourfactor structure accounting for 78.95% of the total variance

Summary

Introduction

Labor markets around the world have shifted from manufacturing to service industries owing to economic globalization and advanced technology, leading to an unpredictable job environment characterized by keen competition and job transformations [1]. Such transformations have yielded considerable effects on young people experiencing the school-to-work transition, as they have to move from a previously clearly defined pathway into a less controlled and predictable terrain [2,3].

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion