Career Prospects Research Articles

COPING STRATEGIES FOR NAVIGATING GENDER AND AGING: WISDOM BY OLDER WOMEN WORKERS FROM PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

The present study aims to explore coping strategies for navigating gender and aging among older working women from Punjab, Pakistan. In this qualitative study, the interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA) was employed. A total of twenty-four women, aged 60 and above, were recruited from Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Multan. All participants had previous formal sector work experience and were currently involved in post-retirement employment. Using purposive sampling, data was collected through semi-structured interview guide and observations checklist. To enhance the credibility and confirmability of the findings, member checking and peer review were incorporated into the process of IPA analysis. The study revealed various coping strategies employed by older Punjabi women for successful navigation of gender and aging in their old age. The strategies encompassed ongoing education and skill enhancement, enabling women to seek additional qualifications and certifications to stay competitive and pertinent in their respective domains. Adopting technology emerged as a vital approach, as numerous individuals developed new technical skills to improve their career prospects. Establishing professional connections via associations and conferences has been crucial for sustaining visibility and relevance in their areas of expertise. Support from mentors and connections with peers played a crucial role in advancing their careers and navigating gender obstacles. Resilience surfaced as a key focus, with women utilizing their life experiences to adapt and take charge in their respective domains. Last but not least, physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle was considered essential for sustaining professional engagement and a balanced work-family life, bolstered by flexibility and family cooperation, allows women to manage their dual responsibilities effectively..

Augmenting Performance Management: Essential in Promoting Enhancement of Career Prospects

Within personal and professional lives of the individuals, they are required to carry out number of job duties and responsibilities. Furthermore, they are required to augment information in terms of different types of methodologies and procedures. These are the ways of carrying out all types of job duties and responsibilities in a well-ordered and satisfactory manner. As a consequence, one will render an important contribution in managing their performance. In this manner, one will achieve desired goals and objectives. Furthermore, individuals in leadership positions within professional settings and family members will be pleased. Hence, throughout the lives of the individuals, belonging to all occupations and fields need to augment their information in terms of different types of skills and abilities. Furthermore, one needs to reinforce the traits of morality, ethics, diligence and conscientiousness. These need to be put into operation in a well-ordered and satisfactory manner in order to enhance one’s performance. Furthermore, one will achieve professional goals and bring about improvements in one’s overall quality of lives. Hence, it is of utmost significance to acknowledge and reinforce the strategies in all occupations and fields, which would be facilitating in enhancement of performance. Therefore, augmenting performance management is essential in promoting enhancement of career prospects. The main concepts that are taken into account in this research paper are, understanding the meaning and significance of performance management, measures to be put into operation in augmenting performance management and advantages of augmenting performance management.

Are accreditation signals being recognised? Business professionals’ awareness and views on accredited university business programmes

ABSTRACT In an increasingly global educational environment, business school accreditations are used by institutions as a signal of quality, credibility, and reliability. While academics’ perspectives on accreditation are well documented, the perspective of the external stakeholder group, ‘business professional’, is scarce. This research addresses this gap by empirically exploring business professionals’ perspectives regarding international and professional discipline-based accreditation of university business schools. A structured online survey attracted 110 valid responses from business professionals. A Bayesian Network (BN) model (implemented in Netica software) was developed for statistical analysis of the dataset, permitting the nuanced characterisation of complex interrelationships between the variables of interest. The findings indicate a low level of awareness of international accreditation among the survey participants. This questions the effectiveness of these accreditations as quality signals. Nevertheless, both international and professional accreditation were perceived as beneficial for employment and career prospects, and membership of professional bodies was seen as advantageous for networking and professional development. The practical implications suggest that information on accreditation, including quality indicators and benefits, could be more consistently and iteratively communicated to stakeholders. Furthermore, professional bodies and business schools could explore additional opportunities to enhance awareness about the value and career-related benefits of professional body memberships.

The future of teaching and learning: students' attitudes toward the use of artificial intelligence

This study explores the attitudes of university students from Western Romania regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. A total of 600 valid responses were collected from students enrolled in various specializations and forms of study. The research aims to understand students' perspectives on the integration of AI in educational settings, examining their views on the current and future roles of AI in shaping the teaching and learning experience. The questionnaire aimed to capture the opinions of students concerning the potential benefits and challenges of AI, as well as its impact on their academic development and future career prospects. The findings provide valuable insights into how students perceive the evolution of AI technologies and their potential to transform educational practices in Romania. These results may inform educators and policymakers on how to better integrate AI tools into the academic environment, aligning with student expectations and the future demands of the workforce.

Colleges of Education Pre-Service Teachers Perception on Career Prospects in the Field of Early Childhood Care, Development and Education

This study aims to investigate the perception and motivation of prospective teachers about ECCE as a course to plan for career future. The study adopted qualitative research design. The population consist of all pre-service teachers in 200L in the Department of ECCE in Federal Colleges of Education in Southwest, Nigeria. The sample size targeted at was 50% of 42 pre-service teachers that was meant to be proportionally selected using proportional sampling technique that was to make a total number of Twenty-One (21) pre-service teachers in Federal College of Education, Iwo, Osun State, Nigeria. The total of nineteen pre-service teachers responded to the interview which made the sample size to reduce. Three research questions guided the study. Interview questions that were sectionalized into three was used to generate data for the study. The Section A, B, and C had 3 questions each that covered pre-service teachers’ perceptions, motivations and future plan on ECCE as a profession. The data generated were analyzed using content analysis. The results shows that the respondents perceived that they have opportunities for professional growth in the field. In conclusion the pre-service teacher had positive perception on ECCE as career. The study recommends that Government and stakeholders should give more recognition to ECCE.

Improving career prospects

Improving career prospects

Effects of volunteering on the psychological wellbeing of undergraduate college students

Objective: The mental health of college students is declining at an alarming rate. Understanding behaviors linked to positive mental health outcomes and psychological wellbeing (PWB) are needed. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between volunteering and PWB. Participants/methods: Students (N = 741) completed an online survey assessing PWB and volunteerism (frequency and motives). Results: A positive correlation was found between PWB and volunteering frequency (r = 0.14, p < 0.001). Factors motivating volunteerism and PWB were associated: protective-to lessen negative feelings and/or avoid personal problems (r = 0.193), enhancement-self-oriented motivation (r = 0.237), social-develop relationships (r = 0.276), career-improve career prospects (r = 0.287), values-altruism (r = 0.348), and understanding-knowledge (r = 0.362), all p < 0.001. Conclusions: There is a positive correlation between PWB and volunteering frequency. Understanding the motivation for volunteering, and how those factors related to PWB provides valuable information that may help students understand the importance of volunteering for altruistic reasons but also for their own mental health and wellbeing.

Importance of School Climate for Student Development and Analysis of Its Determinants in a Non-Skills-Focused Education System

Introduction: The article analyses the differences between developmental and career-oriented climates of students in different types of schools. The theoretical analysis integrates psychological, sociological, neuroscientific and educational theories to show that school climate is an important factor influencing students’ future career success. Research Aim: The objective of this article is to present school climate as a pivotal factor influencing comprehensive student development and to underscore the significance of climate in the context of their prospective careers. Method: The survey was conducted among students in the final years of primary school in three different types of schools. Quantitative analysis (ANOVA and Spearman correlation) was used for the analysis. Results: The research shows that school climate is the factor that most differentiates between private and public school. The research also shows the key role of teachers and the school climate in shaping students’ attitudes and behaviour and in strengthening students’ aspirations for their future careers. The results of the study highlight the possibility of creating different developmental incentives within the same education system, showing that the effectiveness of the system can be increased by incremental changes rather than only by systemic changes. Conclusions: The article proposes the implementation of an educational policy that adopts a holistic approach to education, aligning pedagogical strategies with the goal of increasing students’ career readiness and aspirations.

Network of job demands-resources and depressive symptoms in critical care nurses: a nationwide cross-sectional study

BackgroundCritical care nurses are vulnerable to depression, which not only lead to poor well-being and increased turnover intention, but also affect their working performances and organizational productivity as well. Work related factors are important drivers of depressive symptoms. However, the non-liner and multi-directional relationships between job demands-resources and depressive symptoms in critical care nurses has not been adequately analyzed. Understanding these relationships would be helpful for reducing depression, increasing nurses’ well-being and retain healthcare forces.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study using baseline data from the Nurses’ mental health study (NMHS), a prospective cohort study on nurses from 67 tertiary hospitals in 31 province-level administrative regions in China. Only clinical nurses working in the ICU were included (n = 13,745). Data were collected using online questionnaires, and analyzed using network analysis and structural equation model. Job demands (average working hours per week, average number of night shifts per month, paperwork burden and work-life balance), job resources (supervisor support, co-worker support, leader justice, organizational climate satisfaction, work meaning, and career prospect), personal resource (resilience) and depressive symptoms were main variables in the networks, while demographic data and social health (social-emotional support and loneliness) were covariates.ResultsThe prevalence of severe, moderately severe, moderate, mild, and none or minimum depressive symptoms in critical care nurses of this study were 1.21, 3.42, 9.76, 42.88, and 42.07% respectively. In the final network, 132 of 210 possible edges (62.8%) were not zero. “Fatigue” had the highest expected influence, followed by “Motor”, and “Appetite”. Meanwhile, in terms of job demands-resources and personal resources, the node with the highest expected influence was “Supervisor support”, followed by “Work meaning” and “Co-worker support”. Three bridge variables were identified: “Resilience-adaptation”, “Average working hours per week”, and “Co-worker support”. The final structural equation model basically supported the results of network analysis with an acceptable model-fit (GFI = 0.918, AGFI = 0.896, PCFI = 0.789, PNFI = 0.788, NFI = 0.909, IFI = 0.911, CFI = 0.911, SRMR = 0.040, and RMSEA = 0.064).ConclusionsThere was a rather strong interconnectedness between depressive symptoms and job demands-resources. Fatigue, motor, and appetite were core depressive symptoms of critical care nurses. Close attention to those symptoms could help recognize depression in critical care nurses. Supervisor support, work meaning, and co-worker support played vital roles as job resources in reducing depression, while negative impact of long average working hours per week were more contagious. Resilience, as personal resources, could help mediate the associations between job demands-resources and depression. In clinical practice, it’s recommended for nursing managers to (1) encourage critical care nurses to find their “meaning in work”, (2) implement resilience enhancing programs for nurse, (3) build and maintain meaningful relationships with nurses and support them in daily work, and (4) create a harmonious and dedicated working environment where co-workers are willing to help and support each other. Improvements in those modifiable aspects could help reduce risk and prevent exacerbations of depressive symptoms in critical care nurses.

Career Prospects for Human Resource Management Professionals in Portugal

The research conducted aimed to analyze the attitudes of human resource professionals towards managing their careers. The attitudes of protean and boundaryless careers were investigated, and the extent to which sociodemographic factors, such as salary, gender and academic degree, influence these attitudes. A total of 732 human resources professionals working as employees in private companies in Portugal participated in the study. The methodology involved a non-probabilistic convenience sampling approach, with a detailed survey covering dimensions like self-managed career attitudes, values-driven career attitudes, boundaryless career attitudes and mobility facilitating career attitudes. The results show that most professionals have protean and boundaryless career attitudes. Other research findings show that: (1) those with higher salaries have higher levels of protean and boundaryless career attitudes; (2) male professionals and (3) those with higher education show a higher prevalence of protean and boundaryless attitudes compared to female professionals and those with no higher education. This study sheds light on Portuguese HR professionals' career attitudes. The findings significantly contribute to our understanding of modern career concepts, suggesting avenues for future research.

‘Same sport, different game’: male and female junior Norwegian national ice hockey players’ perceptions of their talent development environments

Women’s ice hockey has experienced rapid changes in the last decades. Nevertheless, there is still a gap in the preconditions between male and female players. The aim of the present study was to explore how Norwegian junior ice hockey players perceive their talent development environments (TDEs) and view their future athletic career. In total, ten female and ten male players participated in qualitative focus group interviews. The results show that female and male players perceive their TDEs and future career prospects differently. Compared to male players, female players perceived less support and a lack of competition. Furthermore, while male players internalized a singled-minded focus on sport to become professional athletes, the female players viewed a professional career as unrealistic. Continued work on improving the TDEs for female ice hockey players and their opportunities to play professionally is necessary to make ice hockey more gender equal.

A Review on English-Medium Instruction (EMI) in Teaching and Its Effects on University Students’ English Proficiency and Content Learning

English-Medium Instruction (EMI) has gained prominence globally as higher education institutions (HEIs) adopt English to teach academic subjects, particularly in non-Anglophone regions. This review explores the implementation and impacts of EMI on students' English proficiency and content learning in various contexts, including Taiwan, the UAE, Malaysia, and Thailand. EMI has been driven by globalization, institutional internationalization, and the perceived advantages of enhancing students’ career prospects and mobility. While EMI has successfully improved English language skills, its effects on content learning remain inconclusive, with studies showing varied outcomes. Key challenges include linguistic barriers, cultural mismatches, insufficient institutional support, and concerns over linguistic and cultural identity erosion. Notable issues such as limited English proficiency often hinder students' ability to fully engage with course material, leading to disparities in academic outcomes. The review also highlights the diversity of EMI implementation across educational levels and regions, ranging from partial integration in Chinese universities to fully English-medium programs in European HEIs. The findings underscore the importance of policy support, bilingual teaching strategies, and adequate teacher training to address the challenges associated with EMI. Ultimately, while EMI enhances international competitiveness and student employability, its broader implications for equity, cultural preservation, and effective content delivery warrant further investigation. This review calls for more rigorous research to explore the intersection of language proficiency, academic ability, and content mastery in EMI settings.

A Study on Faculty Job Satisfaction among the Private Arts and Science Colleges in Ranipet Town

The career prospects for our students are better in the growing global economy. After Independence, higher education in India has grown significantly. India must thus compete in the global economy, where we want qualified academics. In this case, the faculties have been extremely important to our educational system. Academic staff members' job happiness is vital to students' education. Only when faculties are happy with their work are they able to accomplish their duties with more focus and dedication. College professors who are happy in their jobs are better off for it and for society as a whole. Each person has a different level of job satisfaction. The variables that affect job satisfaction change according on gender, age, position, and experience. This background information was gathered from faculty members working in colleges in and around Ranipet town. This survey aims to assess faculty job satisfaction at several institutions in Ranipet town. It focuses on the factors that influence job satisfaction among faculty members in private arts and science colleges.

Dynamics of return mobility among experienced researchers. An analysis of determinants and impact of Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions

ABSTRACT This article analyses the factors influencing experienced researchers’ decision to use the Marie-Skłodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) as an outward or return international mobility scheme and the impact of mobility decisions on researchers’ career outcomes and quality of life. The MSCA constitute one of the European Union’s flagship programmes supporting international research mobility, as its main goals include enhancing the career prospects of researchers through advanced training, knowledge exchange, and international collaboration, while also fostering talent circulation across Europe. Building on a sample of 1,344 MSCA researchers, this study identifies the main determinants impacting mobility decisions and provides a comparative assessment of mobility determinants and impacts across outward moving researchers and researchers returning to their home country. Results show that factors contributing to research performance are the main drivers of outward mobility, while personal factors and family ties contribute to return decisions. Significant variations in the weights of determinants can be noticed across different scientific disciplines and geographical locations. Returning researchers are also less likely to indicate a positive effect of returning to their home country on their career progression than non-returning researchers. At the same time, they are more likely to state that the quality of their life has increased.

Challenges and Outlook of Veterinary Education in Iran: A Survey of Veterinary Students at Urmia University During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Veterinary science remains a challenging and less appreciated subject in the Iranian higher education system and society. This survey aimed to assess the satisfaction and outlook of veterinary students at Urmia University, one of the major veterinary faculties in Iran. The survey was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also significantly impacted veterinary education. A questionnaire was used to gather the opinions of 292 students. The results revealed that 50.2% of respondents were either completely unsatisfied or less satisfied with the quality of teaching. Poor clinical training, the curriculum and distance learning were identified as the primary reasons. In addition, 40.3% of students expressed a desire to change their major. Most students (82.6%) expressed a desire to continue their education after completing their undergraduate course. Regarding future employment, 45.8% of participants wanted to start their own business or practice, whereas 54.2% preferred employment opportunities. A significant 81.6% of participants said they would consider emigrating to pursue better career prospects. The study highlighted various challenges in veterinary education in Iran, including dissatisfaction with the quality of teaching, an oversupply of trained veterinarians and limited career options. The COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning further exacerbated these issues.

Mapping SDGs’ 4 and 8 through enhancing technological skills for students’ employability and establishing a software professional employability skills development program

In the dynamic field of cybersecurity within intelligent vehicle systems, the sophistication of threats necessitates continual advancemenThe purpose of this study is to: (1) evaluate the technological skills of the final-year undergraduate students, (2) how such abilities influence their likelihood of getting employed and (3) student opinions on whether a computer lab-based specialization in software training can boost employability. This study is a survey-based methodology. The sample size encompasses 140 final year students in the College of Business Administration at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University during the academic year 2023-2024. Descriptive statistical analyses indicate that most students believe they have sufficient technical skills but not enough for securing better jobs. Moreover, it is clear among them that expertise in specialized software packages enhances career prospects significantly. The research results also show a huge gap between technological competencies learners have now and what employers demand currently. In response, this study suggests that PSAU should establish software laboratories in their colleges for specialized training on software as required by the job market and workplace. The Vice Rectorate for Academic and Educational Affairs launches a program called “Graduate and Professional Skills Development Program (PSAU-GPSDP)”, which emphasizes student employability as it develops, implements, and evaluates mechanisms to enhance students’ chances of getting jobs upon graduation. The results of this study are in line with SDG No. 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG No. 4 (Quality Education), and Saudi Vision 2030. Therefore, this study has practical implications for decision-makers at the Ministry of Education and university levels, university professors, researchers on how employability skills of students could be enhanced in the higher education institutions.

Career prospects for future economists: Assessing the level of digital literacy in the context of developing platform technologies

Introduction. The authors examine the problem of integrating platform technologies into the practice of making economic decisions in light of new labor market trends. The purpose of this work is to assess the dynamics of future economists’ level of digital literacy in the context of the development of platform technologies to substantiate the prospects for a professional career. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the sustainable development strategy, the conceptual foundations of which determine the directions of collective efforts to solve global problems of our time in terms of universal values of sustainability, responsibility and ethics. As part of the study, an online survey of Economics students at Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Astrakhan State University named after V. N. Tatishchev, Saratov National Research State University named after N. G. Chernyshevsky, Omsk State Technical University was conducted to assess the dynamics of the level of digital literacy in the context of the development of platform technologies. Results. The competitive advantages of digital economic models based on platform technologies have been identified: the ability to diversify and personalize the goods and services provided; a high level of flexibility and autonomy of labor relations, allowing to reduce production and transaction costs; maximizing the efficiency of sharing services, goods and resources in order to reduce waste and develop social cooperation. The empirical data obtained during the online survey demonstrate a sufficient level of students' awareness in terms of understanding the features of the platform economy in light of new labor market trends. At the same time, there is positive dynamics in the level of digital literacy in the context of 1-4 years of study, confirmed by high weighting coefficients of significance, which indicates sufficient involvement of future economists in the practice of making economic decisions using platform technologies and is an additional resource when an individual enters the labor market. Conclusions. The obtained results allow the authors to draw a conclusion about the relationship between digital knowledge, skills and opportunities to use digital platforms in terms of the prospects for the professional career of future economists.

The Role Of Leader In Work Addiction

Over-attachment to work is an increasingly common phenomenon in the lives of people in organisations, and can also be a condition of work addiction. Whoever becomes involved in an organisation, be it a subordinate or even a manager, work addiction has a number of negative consequences at both individual and organisational level. Without being exhaustive, work addiction can have an impact on organisational performance, organisational effectiveness, workplace conflict, career prospects, health maintenance. In this paper, we aim to highlight the most relevant publications from the last five years to report on the impact in an organisation when work addiction arises among subordinates or managers, and how different leadership styles are associated with work addiction among organisational members. The publications were retrieved from Google Scholar and Scopus, and the results of 19 articles are presented in this paper after a review of 263 papers retrieved. The results show that transformational, servant and ethical leadership styles have ambiguous effects on work addiction, unlike laissez-faire or abusive leadership styles, the former enhancing and the latter reducing the incidence of work addiction in an organisation. Work addiction of managers also has a dual effect: on the one hand, it can enhance creativity, but it can also increase turnover among subordinates. Social support from the manager can be an antidote to subordinates' work addiction, but this effect may be modified by the quantity and quality of interaction between manager and subordinate, the sense of meaningfulness of the work, or even the organisational culture. Overall, the manager, as a key actor, can have an impact on work addiction in the organisation, but there is not always a consistent position in the research on the cases and the way in which this is done, which calls for further research in the future.

Enhancing Technical Training Program for ASNAF Trainees through Educational Technology: A Case from the Technical and Vocational Training Centers

This study investigated the role of educational technology in enhancing technical training programs for Asnaf trainees at the technical and vocational training centers. Addressing the critical need for effective vocational training aligned with industry requirements, this research employed a qualitative case study approach involving in-depth interviews and direct observations at the centers. The study examined how digital tools and technology influence trainees’ learning experiences and their practical skill application, as well as evaluating the training program’s effectiveness in meeting industry needs and improving employability. Findings revealed that educational technology, combined with hands-on projects and interactive tools, significantly enhances trainees’ engagement and practical skills leading to better learning outcomes. However, challenges such as insufficient administrative support, financial constraints, and the need for updated curriculum remain. This study highlighted the importance of aligning training programs with industry demands, and investing in infrastructure and professional development to bridge the skills gap. Recommendations include enhancing industry collaboration, increasing financial support for entrepreneurial ventures, and standardizing training curricula across centers. These measures are crucial for improving training effectiveness and ensuring that asnaf trainees acquire relevant skills that boost their employability and career prospects.

Research Topic: The Differences Between the Chinese Education System and the IB Programme and the Effect on Students

This study aims to provide an assessment of the distinctive approaches between the Chinese education system and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme that focuses on the impacts on high school students. The research is based on three particular aspects: the curriculum structure, respective teaching methods, and assessment approaches. The study identifies the unique characteristics considering the advantages and disadvantages of the two educational systems. A comparative analysis is determined to the relationship between the influential development of the students and the educational methods of the university on career prospects. The findings show that despite exceptionally good academic results and content knowledge, the Chinese education system tends to secure rote learning and high-pressure environments. Similarly, the IB Programme encourages critical thinking, global citizenship, and interdisciplinary inquiry, however, at very high costs and demands making it inaccessible to the student's self-management. Therefore, the conclusion suggests that each system has a peculiar advantage and disadvantage, with major implications for students' development and career prospects. These findings assist in the discussions of reforming education for better preparation of students globally.