Realistic Career Research Articles

Entrepreneurial identity as a career compass – An exploration of the career narratives of entrepreneurial education graduates

PurposeSince there are limited role models and career templates for entrepreneurship education (EE) graduates in the labour market, their careers are largely based on personal preferences, aspirations and values. Few studies have investigated how EE impacts graduates’ career aspirations. The present study addressed this gap by exploring how entrepreneurial identity (EI) manifestations act as career identities for EE graduates.Design/methodology/approachFive graduates from two EE programmes in Norway were purposefully selected based on their career histories. They were interviewed using a life story approach, and the narratives were analysed to explore how their EIs were developed and how the EIs acted as career identities.FindingsThe study findings revealed three EI manifestations that directed the participants’ careers: change agent, career seeker and maverick specialist. Additionally, the findings showed how EI is developed through EE: by connecting previous aspirations to realistic career alternatives, by being a place where individuals can experiment with provisional selves and by gaining social acceptance and affirmations for a claimed identity. Furthermore, the findings demonstrated how EI manifestations act as career identities that give direction to graduates’ careers.Originality/valueThis study has important implications regarding the broader impact of EE on graduates’ careers. Furthermore, by exploring EE graduates’ narratives, this study provides a richer and more nuanced view of how aspirations and career preferences are developed than previous studies.

The influence of individual factors on the career preferences and specialty choices of final-year nursing students

BackgroundStatistical evidence shows that nursing students prefer a professional career in hospital settings, leading to a lack of career interest in non-hospital settings such as community and residential aged care facilities. The lack of preference for non-hospital settings has persisted over several decades and presents a need for different approaches that may reveal new information to better understand the individual factors that influence specialty choices and preferences from the students' viewpoints. PurposeThe aims of this study were to (1) explore individual factors that impact the nursing specialty choices of final-year nursing students and (2) explore how these factors influence the final-year nursing students' career decision-making process. MethodA narrative inquiry approach using semi-structured interviews was carried out with purposively sampled nursing students (n = 12) who had undertaken a final-year clinical placement(s). Data was analysed using two main steps. First, the interviews were restoried and then analysed using the three-dimensional framework. Subsequently, thematic analysis was applied to generate themes. ResultsData analysis generated three main themes: demographic factors, social factors, and career goals. Participants' characteristics and interactions with other individuals and systems influenced their nursing specialty preferences and professional career plans. ConclusionNursing students' career interests are influenced by individual factors external to their nursing education, such as their age, gender, and life experiences. These student characteristics and experiences facilitated or inhibited a career in some nursing specialties, with the students gauging their ability to practice in a specialty during their CPs. Nursing education should expose and inform students about the core skills, career opportunities, and how to advance their careers in the different nursing specialties. Most importantly, final-year students may need formal career guidance to encourage nursing students' positive attitudes and career interests in different nursing specialties and make realistic career decisions.

Pemanfaatan Aplikasi Smartphone untuk Mengembangkan Produk Industri Rumah Tangga

The use of smartphone applications for marketing home industry products has gained significant attention in recent years. Smartphone applications are effective tools for entrepreneurship development, particularly for young entrepreneurs, with significant potential for enhancing market reach and customer engagement. This community service took place in Rumah Rahpia, family-style orphanages that play a crucial role in the upbringing and development of teenagers in Medan, Indonesia. Extension and assistance activities in product marketing were carried out for 4 months starting from March to June 2022. Empowering young people in orphanages with entrepreneurial skills is believed to contribute to their personal development and future success. Moreover, fostering entrepreneurship at a young age can help them build realistic career paths and adapt to global trends. Therefore, educating young people in orphanages not only provides them with essential skills and knowledge but also contributes to their overall well-being and prospects. Interviews with the participants show that product sales increased with better product quality after carrying out this community service activity.

Analisis Minat Karier Berdasarkan Teori Karier Holland Siswa Sekolah Menengah Pertama di Kabupaten Gresik

This study aims to analyze the career interests of junior high school students in the city of Gresik. Data collection used career interest instruments based on Holland's career theory (RIASEC) which was then developed by researchers. This research uses descriptive quantitative research. Sampling used random sampling of 476 students in SMPN Gresik city area (Sunan Giri Gresik Middle School with 88 students, Gresik 2nd Middle School with 298 students, and Gresik 15th Middle School with 90 students). The research instrument was tested for the validation and reliability of Cronbach's alpha. The results showed that the career personality type of junior high school students in Gresik district was the highest, namely the social career personality type, which was 32.8%. Next, namely the career personality type towards the conventional type as much as 18.7%. As many as 14.9% of junior high school students in Gresik district have a realistic career personality type. As many as 11.1% of junior high school students in Gresik district have the investigative career personality type. 12% of junior high school students in Gresik Regency and 10.5% of students have artistic career personality types.

Characterizing the landscape of plant science careers in the United States II: Academic perspectives

Societal Impact StatementBotanical careers are more important than ever, given that environmental challenges such as climate change and deforestation threaten plants daily and because plants contribute to solutions to these problems. Plants act as our sources of food, medicine, textiles, and oxygen, which means finding ways to mitigate these environmental challenges is crucial. Despite this, little is known about what career opportunities exist for botanists outside of academia and how well academia is training graduate students for these careers. This study centers on the current state of academic botanical careers and how well students completing post‐baccalaureate degrees (herein referred to as graduate students) are being prepared to fill careers within the botanical workforce.Summary Plant science plays a crucial role in our society and in ongoing efforts to address many global challenges, including food insecurity and climate change. Despite a predicted increase in botanical career opportunities, little is known about how well academia is training graduate students for careers outside of academia. To further our understanding of the current state of academic training for botanical careers, we surveyed 85 faculty and 40 graduate students working in academia in the plant sciences in the United States. We found that the top challenges to university professors in academia are lack of support staff and funding, whereas students completing their post‐baccalaureate degrees cited finances and lack of supportive mentoring as their top challenges. Despite the fact that most graduate students surveyed wanted a career at a research‐intensive university, many botanists in academia are retiring without being replaced by more botanists. Faculty expertise is also misaligned with needs from industry and government employers, causing challenges to training graduate students for these careers outside of academia. Although our data point to a lack of career opportunities within academia, we also note that current graduate student education still emphasizes such careers and is not properly preparing graduate students for the careers they are more likely to obtain within the private and government sectors. We discuss the implications of these findings and present several recommendations for preparing future generations of plant scientists for more realistic career trajectories.

Antecedents of labor shortage in the rural hospitality industry: a comparative study of employees and employers

PurposeAlthough the role of human capital in the hospitality sector is critical, the industry faces challenges in attracting workers with a poor industry image frequently mentioned regarding labor shortages. This research paper attempts to investigate the factors influencing labor shortages by presenting the perspectives of employees and employers.Design/methodology/approachPrecisely 232 rural hospitality industry employees (n = 128) and employers (n = 104) in Northern Italy were surveyed using a written close-ended online survey and a quantitative research design as part of a convenience sampling approach. For hypotheses testing, Spearman's rho was used.FindingsA relationship between the shortage of professional workers and a variety of factors was found, including professional, digital, social and green skills, industry-intrinsic characteristics and symbolic image attributes of the industry. The findings show that some factors are more important for employees, while others are more significant for employers.Practical implicationsThis study demonstrates several practical implications for the hospitality sector by addressing the under-researched stakeholder group of existing hospitality employees, e.g. improving working conditions, reduction of manual operations through digital technologies, realistic career planning, employer branding, identification of skill deficiencies and provision of specialized trainings.Originality/valueMost research on labor shortages in the hospitality industry has focused on the perspective of either employees or employers. This study compares both perspectives, including the industry image, to gain a realistic picture of the relevant factors for a rural tourism destination in Northern Italy.

Skills audits: an integrative literature review

PurposeSkills audits represent an important vehicle for analysing and monitoring skills coverage across organisations and nations and identifying skills gaps and mismatches that exist. In so doing, they provide valuable data on the competitive positioning of organisations and nations and help determine priorities for investment. The purpose of this paper is to examine the use and prevalence of skills audits to improve individual, organisational and societal outcomes.Design/methodology/approachFollowing the guidance of Torraco (2016), this paper takes the form of an integrative literature review. The authors conducted a series of keyword searches using databases such as Google Scholar, ABI Inform, Science Direct and Emerald. Title word searches used the terms: “skills audit”, “skills analysis”, “skills inventory”, “skills mapping” and the authors reviewed articles that were published between the period: 1990 to 2020.FindingsSkills audits remain a useful tool to assess skill attainment and progression on university and college programmes, giving individuals a better understanding of their particular strengths and allowing them to develop realistic career plans and goals. From an organisational perspective, skill audits add value where they are strategically linked to job design, recruitment and training initiatives. They are also useful in helping organisations identify skill shortages, particularly if they relate skills outages to future growth areas. Finally, skills audits can sustain career counselling, but need to remain flexible in categorising skills in relation to the gig economy and remote working.Originality/valueThe topic of skills audits remains an under-researched topic in the training and human resource development literature. To date, limited studies have been carried out examining their use and effectiveness. This paper sheds light on a topic worthy of exploration in the field.

Factors Influencing Career Choice among Business Administration Students of Pokhara University

Career development theories imply that various factors might influence students' career choices. The study examined the existent factors influencing career choice among business administration students of Pokhara University. A quantitative paradigm guided the study. A purposive sample of 303 undergraduate and postgraduate students participated in the study. The data was collected using the Career Choice Scale (CCS), which looked at the four components of career choice: intrinsic, extrinsic, interpersonal, and institutional influences. The analysis of data was performed with SPSS and Amos. The results demonstrated that four factors, intrinsic factors such as personal interest, advancement in career, and personality traits; extrinsic factors such as prestigious job, well-paying employment, and job security; interpersonal factors such as parental support and influence, the influence of older siblings and peer influence, and institutional factors such as career counseling activities, teachers and educators’ impact; type of academic program offered were found influential factors. The findings may have implications for Nepalese higher education institutions to guide and counsel students interested in a career in management. Understanding how students make career decisions allows efforts to guide students toward more realistic career choices.

Practice Patterns and Career Satisfaction in Recent Head and Neck Oncology Fellowship Graduates.

ObjectiveExamine the characteristics of recent head and neck (H&N) oncology fellowship graduates and assess their current perceptions of career alignment and satisfaction.MethodsH&N fellowship graduates from American Head and Neck Society–accredited programs between 2015 to 2020 were surveyed. Two-sample t tests and analysis of variance tests were used to determine the effect of respondents’ demographics, fellowship characteristics, career preferences, and current practice on their degree of career alignment with expectations and overall job satisfaction.ResultsFifty-eight fellowship graduates completed the cross-sectional survey. Of all respondents, 52 (89.7%) primarily preferred an academic job, of whom 5 (9.6%) went into private practice. Respondents in private practice, those treating general otolaryngology patients, and those who do not work with residents demonstrated significantly poorer job alignment and career satisfaction as compared with those in academic medicine, those treating only H&N patients, and those working with residents, respectively.DiscussionThe majority of graduating H&N fellows prefer a job in academic medicine; however, there may be an insufficient number of desirable academic positions available each year to meet such demand.Implications for PracticeBy setting realistic career expectations, preparing for a mixed scope of practice, and integrating resident involvement into private practice groups, H&N providers may ultimately find more fulfillment in their work. These findings could also be valuable to the American Head and Neck Society and fellowship programs in designing training and in planning for the number of available fellowship positions each year.

INFLUENCE ON CAREER PREFERENCES OF THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING STUDENTS

This study focused on the assessment of the relationship between the internal and external influences and the career preferences of the students. It aimed to find out the level of influence on the career preference of the one hundred sixty-five Grade 12 students of Don Bosco College and Mary Help of Christians College in choosing their college program. Based on the statement of the problem, the gathered data of the results were the following: The level of internal factors on the student?s career preference for individual perspective for family perspective was interpreted as High respectively, while peer perspective was interpreted as moderately high. The level of influence of external factors on the student?s career preference for compensation, for technical requirements, and for educational requirements interpreted as High. Also, in terms of Career Pathway, the dominant pathway is Social, Enterprising and Conventional (SEC). The internal factors in terms of individual career perspectives as to realistic, investigative, enterprising, and conventional career preference were revealed a ?strong and significant analysis? for realistic career preference, ?moderate and significant analysis? for investigative and conventional career preference, and weak but significant analysis? for enterprising career preference. Likewise, for the external factors in terms of compensation as to enterprising career preference indicated a ?moderate and significant analysis It is therefore concluded for the internal factors that individual perspective, family, and peer influence students' career choices significantly. While for the External Factors it is concluded that students continue to think about future benefits that they can use to help their families in the future. It is concluded that many of the student-respondents were into the Social, Enterprise, and Conventional (SEC) career pathway. Results showed a not significant relationship between the internal and external factors and career preferences; therefore, the hypothesis states that no significant relationship was sustained. This means that the students? career preferences are not dependent on the abovementioned factors. The school administrators may adopt the career test (The Holland Career Test, RIASEC) for graduating students as a career development program.

Understanding the career interests of Information Technology (IT) students: a focus on choice of major and career aspirations

Despite continuous growth in the number of positions in Australia’s Information Technology (IT) industry since 2015, only half of Australia’s IT graduates go on to work in IT positions. A much-debated challenge for graduates is that the transition to work is complex and often demands several attempts. Less discussed is why school students choose to study IT at university and whether these motivational factors inform their career choice. The motivation to study at university has many potential influences including social factors, prior experience, self-perceptions, intrinsic or personal utility values, or simply the prospect of a good salary. Students’ choice of university major has similar influences; however, many learners select their major and enter university without having thought about possible career pathways. As such, without appropriate support during their time at university, students may not translate interest and motivation into career identity or commitment, and they may not develop realistic career goals or job-seeking strategies. To understand the antecedents to career interest, this study investigated the choice of major and career aspirations of undergraduate IT students at an Australian university. The two-year study engaged students in two phases of data collection. First, students completed an online self-assessment of study and career confidence, answering two open questions on why they chose to study IT and how long they intended to work in the discipline. Students then responded to a short online survey about their short- and longer-term career aspirations and prior experience. The results show that the motivation to study IT is based largely on intrinsic interest and enjoyment of IT rather than on external factors such as salary or job security. Most students reported broad career aspirations related to IT; however, students were unable to articulate what these careers might entail and they were unsure about the amount of time they would spend in the IT profession. The study concluded that understanding IT students’ motivation for study could inform career development learning activities through which students transform their interest into career choice and pre-professional identity.

The Relationships Between Family, Financial Reason, Self-Esteem, and Career Decision Making Among Undergraduates in Jigawa State, Nigeria

The study assesses the relationship between career decision-making and family, financial reasons, and self-esteem among undergraduates in Jigawa state, Nigeria using a quantitative correlational research design of the 1,200 undergraduates from Sule Lamido University and Federal University Dutse who made up the population of the study, 373 undergraduates were randomly sampled for the study. Instruments used are: Factors influencing undergraduate students' career decision-making questionnaire and a career decision-making self-efficacy short-form questionnaire. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) by using Smart Partial Least Squares (Smart-PLS3) was used to analyse the data in line with the hypotheses. The results show that family and financial reasons are positively significant in career decision making among undergraduates. Decisions about family and career (t = 4.300), (β= 0.225), and (P=0.000). With (t = 2.047), (β =0.102), and (P=0.041), the second most significant paths are financial reasons and career decision making. Thus, schools, government agencies, and non-profit organisations should provide scholarships to deserving students so that they can follow their chosen occupations. Students should be exposed to job information and coaching by the school administration in order to assist them in choosing good and realistic career choices. To help minimise the influence of stakeholders on students' career aspirations, school leaders should engage with the counselling unit in schools to provide career workshops for students and parents.

Utilizing Social Cognitive Career Theory to Enhance the Self-Efficacy and Outcome Expectations of Students with Disabilities Through Career Development

Social cognitive career theory (SCCT) is a valuable framework when developing applicable and appropriate career development interventions for students with disabilities. The use of SCCT in developing interventions will enhance the self-efficacy and outcome expectations of K–12 students with disabilities, thereby leading to more purposeful, realistic, and positive career beliefs and behaviors. This article explores the self-efficacy and outcome expectations of students with disabilities and discusses possible interventions for school and college counselors.

Visions by WIMIN: BIPOC Representation Matters.

Racial, ethnic, and gender representation in an academic setting means that teachers, professors, and other leaders reflect the demographics of the student body in the educational and professional spaces that they serve. This form of representation, which is often intersectional, strengthens communities and improves student outcomes, from as early as primary and secondary education, through to college education and beyond. Representation matters because it can shape the reputation and self-image of women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within environments dominated by over-represented majorities (ORMs). From the perspective of BIPOC women trainees, the lack of BIPOC faculty who are visible minorities, particularly at the most senior level positions, often conjures questions of whether academia is a realistic career path for aspiring minority students. This article focuses on the key component of representation in the United States (U.S.), highlighting our vision for a solution for the so-called “leaky pipeline” for BIPOC in science, technology, engineering, and mathematic with action items to end it.

Application of HPC and big data in post-pandemic times

We lay out the ramifications of the 2020 pandemic for all people in geosciences, especially the young, and argue for significant changes on training and career development. We focus primarily on its devastating impact in USA and compare with that in other countries especially China. We review the potential effect for the next four years or so on the aspirations of an academic career versus more realistic career goals. We urge people in mid-career about the need to reassess previous goals. We stress the need for students or researchers to acquire technical skills in high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics, artificial intelligence, and/or visualization along with a broad set of technical skills in applied computer science and mathematics. We give advice about hot prospects in several areas that have great potential for advancement in the coming decade, such as visualization, deep learning, quantum computing and information, and cloud computing, all of which lie within the aegis of HPC. Our forecast is that the pandemic will significantly reshape the job landscape and career paths for both young and established researchers and we discuss bluntly the dire situation facing junior people in geosciences in the aftermath of the pandemic around the world until 2024.

GAMBARAN KEMATANGAN KARIER SISWA KELAS X SMA SWASTA JAKARTA

A descriptive study aimed in describing the career maturity of the 10th-grade students at one private high school in Jakarta. The study participants were 49 people consisting of 29 male students and 20 female students. The age range of participants is 15-16 years old. Participants in this study still have difficulty planning their studies and future careers. These conditions indicate students have not reached career maturity by the stage of career development. Having a career maturity is one of the essential for students with regards to planning their further study and future career. This study used the Modified Indonesian version of the Career Maturity Inventory (hereinafter referred to as CMI) and group interviews. The CMI measured the dimensions of consistency, realistic career choice, competence in making careers decision, and attitudes on making a career decision. Based on the quantitative data processing shows that 28.9% of 10thgrade students have a high level of maturity. However, from group interviews, the students shared that they still had doubts about their abilities and did not yet explore more about the university major they chose. The study concludes that most respondents who have maturity but are still less skilled in planning and making career decisions. The results of the study can be used as a reference for developing counselling guidance programs for 10th-grade students.

Comparing Work-Related Correlates of Life Satisfaction for Combat Versus Non-Combat Military Veterans

Military veterans (n = 153) completed an on-line survey and were broken down into combat (n = 92) versus non-combat (n = 61) veterans. The combat veterans had higher life satisfaction, perceived occupational alternatives, and education level versus the non-combat veterans. Looking at correlates to life satisfaction, for both samples number of prior traumatic events (negative) and personal accomplishment (positive) were significantly related. In addition, for the combat veterans, highest education level and perceived occupational alternatives were significantly related to life satisfaction. A high percentage of both combat and non-combat veterans were currently going to school to further their education. Working with employed combat and non-combat veterans, those currently going to school to further their education had higher perceived occupational alternatives than veterans not going back. Working with a smaller group of combat versus non-combat respondents who did volunteer work, the non-combat veterans were higher on perceived meaningfulness of volunteer work than the combat veterans. Returning to school can be one way to help military veterans find rewarding meaningful work, through perceived occupational alternatives, which can help to increase their life satisfaction. If increased education is not an option, volunteer work may also lead to higher perceived meaningful work. As veterans transition from military to civilian life, military out-processing should continue to counsel/prepare transitioning veterans for: finding/interviewing for jobs as well as realistic new careers; identifying meaningful voluntary work opportunities; or finding resources for furthering one’s education.

In-Between: Late-Arriving Teens in Adult Education Programs Navigating Child and Adult Immigrant Narratives

We report on a grounded theory study of late-arriving immigrant youth (LIY) who arrived in the United States at 16–18 years of age and were referred to daytime General Education Diploma (D-GED) programs. These programs provide an alternate path to a high school diploma for youth with insufficient knowledge of English to complete graduation requirements before turning 19 years. Based on interviews with 38 youth from Latin America, we propose the core category of our grounded theory to be students Navigating Child and Adult Immigrant Narratives while making educational and career decisions. This process begins before immigration when youth imagine ambitious alternate selves—ideal educational and career selves in the United States, consistent with the American Dream and immigrant child narrative. The D-GED programs represent a compromise between a child and adult educational pathway. Students in these programs felt excluded from the regular high school but received social and emotional support while on a faster track to graduation and self-sufficiency as adults. However, students lacked concrete information and roadmaps for how to attain their ambitious goals. The study highlights the unique challenges faced by LIY as they develop ambitious and realistic education and career goals.

Exploration of Career Differences in Career Interests of Students with Special Needs

This study aims to analyze and identify trends in the career interests of students with special needs in the city of Banjarmasin and see if there are differences in career interest trends between students with special needs in primary and secondary schools. The research design used was a cross-sectional survey. The results show that there are differences in career interests of students with special needs related to the field of Social careers, Realistic career fields, Artistic career fields, Conventional career fields, Enterprising career fields, and Investigative career fields. Also, there was a small difference in career interest scores between elementary and middle school students, even though overall, the trend for interests was almost the same. Based on the research results obtained, it is recommended to further researchers to conduct further research on career interests for students with special needs with more specific characteristics and develop assessment instruments that are more relevant for students with special needs.

Reengineering mass career acquisition through technical vocational education training counseling in Kenya

Vocational and Technical Education forms a very key foundation in enabling a nation to achieve aspired MDGs and SDG. Kenya as a country highly depends on technical skills to achieve the Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals. However, this can only be achieved through proper and realistic career counseling information provided by the counseling teachers at the secondary school level. According to KCSE results released every year, the majority of the candidates score below grade C+ especially in 2016 and 2017 though above D- which is the requirement for entrance for proficiency level for TVET courses. However, the majority of students do not join Vocational or Technical Education due to a missing link between the natures of career counseling services offered at the secondary school level. Counselors have expectations and premise that the majority of the candidates join training at university levels thus package their counseling information on the few ignoring other students. The objective behind this study was to examine the final results scored by students and the subject choice at secondary school, various career theories, and models that guide career choices formed the foundation for the study. The study used a descriptive design where data was collected through past existing data review from KNEC and one Technical Training Institute over a period of four years. Data was analyzed and presented in tables and figures. Findings revealed that the majority of the candidates (86.92%) of the KCPE candidates scored less than C+ and had no career information on Vocational and Technical Education. The study recommends reengineering of the career guidance in Kenya education system to involve the Ministry, professionals and Human Resource Management experts.