The work orientations of Australian university students

Abstract

It is the aim of this paper to provide a better understanding of how university students in Australia are preparing for their future work in the labour market through their work orientations. It draws upon a survey of over 300 final‐year undergraduates to present their rationales for engaging in paid work, and their preferences for different job facets in the workplace. On one hand, the ‘risk society’ thesis proposed that the disruptions and uncertainty in the modern work environment are prompting many young graduates to ‘become stage managers of their own biographies’. On the other hand, there is an argument that despite the switch towards the promotion of individual responsibilities, structural factors such as gender continue to impinge on their choices. This article will also examine whether the students’ individualised attempts to manage their careers through their work orientations are influenced by gender differences.