Females and modelling occupational career in the changing world of labour – reports on research

Abstract

The planning and pursuing an occupational career, especially in the era of such rapid changes and macrosocial transformations, are much more difficult than even a dozen or so years ago. This applies particularly to risk groups, including females. The biographies of individuals – formed by the pre-professional phase which concerns the human participation in the educational system, the phase of occupational activity, and the post-professional phase – related to the performance of family functions have become obsolete. Occupational activity is not only longer, but it is also accompanied by educational activity, indispensable and expected in the labour market. This entailed a different career modelling, characterised by the concept of change. Demand on the labour market, its internationalisation and increased flexibility force the individual to shape their career path in the short-term perspective, taking into account the latest trends, requiring proper management and setting goals compatible with market expectations, and not only consistent with their own interests. Females also faced with this challenge, and while fulfilling a number of social roles, implement various models in the design and implementation of their occupational careers. In this article, the strategies of planning the development and pursuing occupational career upon the basis of the conducted research are presented. The fundamental presumption is that an individual shapes their career independently, and this notion of career is interpreted as following the adopted values determining the attitudes and behaviours of a human being. In this dissertation, the profile of contemporary careers is provided, and the analysis of the notion of occupational career is conducted.