Abstract
This study employed interpretivist, grounded theory method and utilized semi-structured interviews to explore how 31 African migrant high school and university students from eight sub-Saharan African representative countries and currently residing in Townsville, Australia, perceived the roles of their parents in their career development. The study findings revealed that the support (financial, social and emotional) and encouragement (sacrificial love, role modeling and guidance) received from parents underpinned the youths’ perceptions of their parents as influential in their career trajectories. Though participants acknowledged their indebtedness to parents and the system that nurtured them, they faced a dilemma conforming to parental preference or personal conviction, which presented “a fork in the career decision-making road.” Study findings indicate that participants’ reactions and strategies for negotiating parental approval differ based on entry status and gender. Most participants, particularly those with professional entry status, conformed to their parents’ career choice for fear of failure, while a few who followed their personal interests negotiated parental approval through dialogue and educating parents. Male participants with humanitarian entry status opposed their parents’ career preferences and followed their own personal interests. Taken together, all participants had strong desire to obtain parental approval and whether sought early or later, the main focus for all participants was prioritizing family needs and obligations. The practical implications of these findings for all stakeholders are discussed.
Highlights
Choosing a career path is challenging for youths as they explore employment options that match their abilities and interests
This study explored the perceptions of sub-Saharan African (SSA) migrant youth living in Townsville, Australia, about their parents’ involvement in their career choices and how they cope with any conflict of interest between their choices of career and the expectations of their parents
Thirty-one SSA migrant youths from 21 families participated in the interviews
Summary
Choosing a career path is challenging for youths as they explore employment options that match their abilities and interests. The views and concerns of family, friends and significant others in collectivist societies are essential when choosing a career path; youths often depend on them for guidance (Gelfand and Christakopoulou, 1999; Whiston and Keller, 2004). Youths are constrained in their career aspirations and choices by prevailing job market trends, such as salary, prestigious jobs, promotion opportunities and job accessibility (Choi and Kim, 2013; Jin and Paulsen, 2017; Atitsogbe et al, 2018). These socio-cultural contextual issues imply that fewer career opportunities are available to them, the reliance on parental guidance. Youths in collectivist cultures usually do not have the final say about their educational and career decisions due to a societal belief that children do not have the maturity and capacity to make prudent decisions (Howard and Walsh, 2011)
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