Vocational Choice Research Articles

Examining the Effect of Parents on Children’s Career Choices in the Context of Class Positions

This article delves into the social mobility strategies employed by parents and their descendants from diverse social classes in structuring educational pathways and vocational choices across successive generations. The study relies on qualitative data from in-depth interviews conducted in Ankara with 24 parents and 18 offspring. Data analysis reveals that the strategies parents and their offspring embrace are intricately shaped by their social class positions and the cultural, social, and economic capital available to the latter. Labourer families grappling with cultural capital limitations exhibit constrained guidance to their offspring. In contrast, self-employed professional families actively deploy their comprehensive cultural capital to perpetuate privileged class positions across generations. Business owners or commercial entrepreneurs, characterised by a distinctive outlook, view education as a pathway to attain heightened social status rather than as a means of upward mobility. To address the inequalities uncovered in this research, establishing counselling centres for families to guide how to mentor their children and for the children themselves to facilitate the discovery of their abilities and interests could offer a solution toward mitigating these inequalities.

A study on occupational aspirations of senior secondary school students of a selected school of Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh

Background: Life is full of struggles and an individual has to face numerous challenging situations where there is need to make right decisions. In the era of advancement of scientific knowledge and gradual development of materialistic outlook, it is believed that education should enable the individual to earn his living. Occupational aspirations in the early years of life influence the vocational choice in the later life, which determine individual’s success in regard to job satisfaction, productivity and adjustment. Hence this study was undertaken with a view to make an attempt to study the occupational aspirations of senior secondary school students of Mandi district. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional survey method was used. A sample of 100 students (50 girls and 50 boys) of senior secondary level (classes XI and XII) was randomly selected from the selected Government senior secondary school. Occupational aspiration scale by Dr. J. S. Grewal was used to collect data for the study. For data analysis, percentage, mean, standard deviation and t-test were used. Results: Majority, i.e., 76% senior secondary students were found to have average occupational aspiration level. No significant difference was found in occupational aspiration level between urban and rural senior secondary students. Conclusions: Majority of senior secondary students were found to have average occupational aspiration level, thus highlighting the importance of guiding the students from secondary education stage towards selection of a right career according to their occupational aspirations.

Refonte de la version québécoise de l’Échelle artistique de l’inventaire typologique de caractéristiques personnelles (EA-ITCP-72R)

In order to facilitate the evaluation of professional orientation, John L. Holland developed vocational theory according to a hexagonal model postulating that professional personality and work environments are subdivided into six distinct types in Western societies. In addition to their interests, the personality of the individual, that is to say their personal characteristics, contributes to a better understanding of the vocational choice. The main objective of this study concerns the redesign of the Quebec version of the Artistic Scale of the Typological Inventory of Personal Characteristics (EA-ITCP-72-R). For this study, 308 Franco-Quebec participants were recruited. The EA-ITCP-72-R includes 12 personal characteristics. Exploratory factor analysis also supports that the Artistic Scale of the Holland's RIASEC model is not unidimensional and can be subdivided into three dimensions. The internal consistency indices of each dimension are also adequate. To conclude, being based on Holland's vocational theory, the EA-ITCP-72-R makes it possible to determine the vocational profile in relation to the professional personality of the Artistic type. In addition, the presence of dimensions makes it possible to refine the profile in order to illustrate the individuality of the respondent with greater precision and to ensure the greatest adequacy with the type of job sought.

A Study of Mental Health of B. Ed and M. Ed Students

Health and fitness are a matter of concern for all.While so much is written,studied and said about physical health,it is felt that mental health and psychological well being require equal attention. Here it needs to be understood that pupil teachers,who are being groomed to be teachers in schools, shall be taking up the responsibility of teaching students once they start working .Besides academic inputs and guidance, personality development of students,their vocational choices,attitude towards work and society,adjustment in roles,happiness and positive self concept and many such traits are shaped and influenced by teachers. Thus the pupil teachers need to be in a state of good mental health and psychological well being. For this purpose ,variables such as gender,stream, locality, economical status and society were taken. The aim was to study the impact of the mentioned variables on the mental health of the pupil teachers. Results revealed no significant impact of the variables upon mental health.Also it was seen that the pupil teachers seemed aware of the need for mental health. However , the need was felt for a positive outlook regarding mental health on the part of the attached agencies namely institutes, staff, society, government etc. Key Words: Health, Mental, Psychological well being, Pupil teacher, M.Ed and B.Ed students .

Vocational Choices of Young Women: Family Factors, Sexism and Academic Motivations

Vocational Choices of Young Women: Family Factors, Sexism and Academic Motivations

Predicting trajectories of vocational indecision from motivational profiles in early adolescence

Background, objective and hypothesesDuring emerging adulthood, vocational indecision (i.e., the inability to make coherent career choices) develops in a heterogeneous fashion, with three distinct patterns: low; decreasing (i.e., developmental or adaptative); high and stable or increasing (i.e., chronic or maladaptive). Among the determinants of vocational indecision that have been identified in past research, academic motivation is a crucial an excellent choice, since it is at school that students' vocational choices are validated or not. According to SDT, this motivation can vary both in quantity and quality, and students tend to experience more positive academic outcomes when their motivational profile is optimal (high quantity, high quality) as opposed to suboptimal (e.g., low quantity, low quality). Thus, the purpose of this longitudinal study was to verify if the patterns found with emerging adulthood students characterized vocational indecision in adolescent students, and if supported, to predict the belonging to the most problematic trajectory by using students’ academic motivational profiles. We expected several distinct trajectories of vocational indecision that would differ in shape and magnitude, and several motivational profiles that vary in quality as well as in quantity. We also expected students in high-quality or quantity motivational profiles to be less likely to follow a chronic indecision trajectory.Method and resultsUsing data from 384 students (56% female; Mage = 13.52 years; SD = .52 at Secondary 2) surveyed annually from Secondary 2 to 5, person-centered analyses enabled estimation of motivational profile in Secondary 2 and vocational indecision trajectories during the 4-year period. Results revealed four distinct patterns of vocational indecision during adolescence labelled Low and Stable, Moderate and Stable, Developmental and Chronic Intermittent. Four motivational profiles were also identified in Secondary 2, ranging from poor (Highly Amotivated) to moderate (Autonomous-Introjected) quality of self-determination level. Also, in reference to the most self-determined profile, students in the Mixed profile were at greatest risk of following Chronically-Intermittently Undecided trajectory. Finally, the most self-determined students were at greatest probability of following the Developmentally Undecided trajectory.ConclusionOverall, the findings suggest that the student motivational functioning in early secondary school years could be used to identify students at risk of experiencing the negative indecision patterns across secondary school. Several theoretical and practical implications are suggested.

Development of a RIASEC-based model to analyse students’ perceptions of the work of nuclear- and astrophysicists

There are many stereotypical beliefs about the work of scientists among students. These can lead to a lack of interest and ill-considered career choices. This paper aims to shed more light on the everyday work of researchers in physics. To this end, an interview study (N=12) and a questionnaire study (N=66) were conducted among physicists in a Collaborative Research Centre for nuclear- and astrophysics in order to determine the physicists’ activity profiles using an adapted RIASEC+N model based on the theory of vocational choices by Holland. As a result, activities from all seven RIASEC+N dimensions were found, highlighting the broad spectrum of activities in modern physics research. However, with respect to the significance of each dimension, we found that the activity profiles of doctoral students and professors in general, as well as their profiles in theoretical and experimental groups differ particularly within the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative dimension. In the future, these results will be used to develop an outreach programme to give students an authentic insight into modern physics. Additionally, the activity profiles could serve as a reference for addressing stereotypes in school.

Junior university: fostering young minds’ interest in higher education

The Universidade Júnior (U.Jr.) program, initiated by the University of Porto (U.Porto), Portugal, is a comprehensive educational initiative conducted during the summer months, primarily targeting the 10–18 age group. The program aims to promote science, technology, arts, humanities, and sports knowledge among elementary and secondary-level students and to influence their vocational choices and higher education aspirations. The study analyses the relationship between participation in the U.Jr. program and subsequent enrollment in higher education at U.Porto. It utilises data collected from 2006 to 2022, comparing U.Jr. participants with students who enrolled as freshmen at U.Porto. A Pearson correlation coefficient was applied to establish the connection between these datasets. Data analysis reveals a significant positive relationship between participation in U.Jr. and the choice of U.Porto for higher education. The study shows that 22 out of 100 first-year students at U.Porto in 2021 had previously attended U.Jr. Moreover, the geographical provenance of participants and U.Porto first-year students showed a robust correlation. The findings suggest that U.Jr. has a substantial impact on attracting students to U.Porto and influencing their academic choices. The program’s diverse activities, coupled with its inclusive approach, have been instrumental in increasing the university’s attractiveness and helping mitigate the country’s low higher education rates. The study underscores the importance of such initiatives in shaping students’ educational trajectories and choices for higher education.

Exploring Children's representations of work: A review investigating content and influences

Middle childhood has been identified as a critical period regarding the exploration and construction of the self, with strong implications for future vocational choices and occupational trajectories. Due to a shortage of both theoretical models and empirical data, a knowledge gap remains as regards children's perceptions and understandings of the concept of work between the ages of 5–8, and the differential variables influencing these representations. This review aims to fill this gap by providing relevant information with respect to the investigation of the content of children's representations of work, as well as the factors influencing them. Considering the lack of papers covering this topic, this article approaches the subject through adjacent angles such as adult and adolescent representations of work, children's representations of occupations, and children's vocational preferences or career development. A theoretical model of children's mental representations of work is presented, and general methodological avenues are proposed to pursue further investigation on this research topic.

Analysis of Vocational Choice Satisfactions and Factors Affecting Vocational Choices of University Students in According to Some Independent Variables

The general purpose of this study is to analyze the factors affecting university students’ vocational choices and their satisfaction with their vocational choices in terms of gender and economic situation perception variables. In line with this general purpose, firstly, the affecting factors of the vocational choices of university students were determined, and then the satisfaction of university students with their vocational choices was examined. Following these determinations, the factors affecting vocational choice for male and female students and whether vocational satisfaction differs in terms of the economic situation perceived by male and female students were investigated. This research, which aims to determine the factors affecting university students’ vocational choices and their satisfaction with their vocational choices, is in a comparative type of relational screening model. The scanning model is used to detect a situation, individual or object that occurred in the past or is still ongoing, in its own conditions and as it exists. In determining the sample size, the number criterion corresponding to five times the number of items in the survey was taken as the basis. Since the number of items in the scale is 25, the sample must be at least 125. This research was conducted in 2014 with 692 university students in Anadolu University, Hacettepe University, Selçuk University and Yalova University. Data were collected with the “Vocational Choice Survey” (VCS) developed by the researchers based on literature review. VCS consists of 25 open and closed-ended questions covering vocational choice characteristics. SPSS 21 statistical package program was used to analyze the data collected from the students. Frequency distribution and Chi-Square Test were used to analyze the data. Research findings reveal that the most important factor affecting university students’ vocational choices is the employment opportunities of the department they study in. Apart from this, it is seen that the suitability of the department of study with their personality, the university entrance score obtained, the desire to meet the demands of the family and the increase in demand for the department of study are also effective factors in the vocational choices of university students. The research results show that the university students included in the research have high levels of vocational satisfaction. In addition, the results of the research reveal that university students’ perceptions of their economic situation are not a factor affecting their vocational choices and satisfaction, but gender is an important variable affecting the vocational choices and satisfaction of university students. Based on these research findings, it can be recommended to make reforms in the education system that will increase male students’ satisfaction in their professional choices and transform their social role perceptions.

INNOVATIVE TRENDS IN VOCATIONAL TEACHER EDUCATION: A CAREER COUNSELOR FOR THE NEW UKRAINIAN SCHOOL

The article considers the problem of training career counselors for the New Ukrainian School as a modern innovative trend. It is updated in the context of the introduction of three-year specialized education in Ukraine. A career counselor performs the function of a mediator between a person and his or her possible choice of profession, helps him or her identify and use his or her talents and abilities to achieve significant goals. A content analysis of scientific sources on the problem are carried out, which originates at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Modern foreign scientific researchers are highlighted, for example, the theory of vocational choice, as well as other theories of career development. The analysis and systematization of research on career development made it possible for scientists to systematize five groups of theories: substantive, procedural, substantive-procedural, constructivist, and broad explanation theories. It is considered the development of Ukrainian scientists on the issues of career guidance and career counseling: a scientific thesaurus on the problem is formulated, and relevant scientific research is carried out. However, theoretical generalizations have not been implemented in practice: Ukrainian higher education institutions do not provide comprehensive systematic professional training for career specialists. The authors of the article outline some prospects for the professional training of relevant specialists; define the range of potential job responsibilities of a career counselor; present a model framework of competencies of a career counselor working in a Ukrainian general secondary education institution; and present the content of innovative educational disciplines necessary for the professional and pedagogical training of future career counselors in the New Ukrainian School.

Influence of executive functioning and emotional regulation on effective career choice

Although emotional management and executive functioning have been widely associated with effective decision making, not much attention has been paid to their role in vocational decision making. This study analyzed the relationship between insecurity in career choice, executive functioning, and emotion regulation in university students. Results show how executive dysfunction significantly predicted insecurity in vocational choice. Its mediating role between emotional management and the academic-vocational decision-making process was also confirmed. Our findings contribute to the understanding of vocational choice in youth and suggest the need to consider both variables in guidance programs, to prevent subsequent dissatisfaction with the vocational decision.

Mental Strength and Career Development Among Youths in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, Nigeria

This study examined the impact of building mental strength on career development among youths. It is built on the rationale that youths need to build mental strength to be able to understand them and make the right career choices especially in the choice of courses they eventually study in school as a foundation for their career path in life. To achieve these four research questions and four objectives were raised to guide the study. The key indicators of lack of mental strength (stress, fear and pressure etc.) were identified and measured against those of career development. The indicators identified further informed the research questions and the objectives of the study. Two theories were adopted, and they are; social cognitive theory of Albert Abandura and John Lewis Holland theory of career and vocational choice theory, these aided the theoretical focus for the study. A sample of 400 questionnaire respondents was determined using the Taro Yamane formula and 22 key persons were purposively determined for interview. The study adopted the mixed method design and a multistage sampling approach to select the questionnaire respondents and interview participants. Following the mixed method design, the data collection techniques involved the use of a self-designed questionnaire to gather quantitative data and an interview guide to collect qualitative data from key persons. To analyze the data collected, simple percentages presented in tables were used for the quantitative data, while the thematic content analysis was deployed to analyze the qualitative data. Drawing from the analysis, the findings show that 56.2% of the participants strongly agreed that youths need to build mental strength, and 58.8% agreed that building mental strength can help to fight fear; which is one of the indictors of lack of mental strength based on the findings. Hence, the study recommends among others, that programs should be created to encourages mental strength building

How Do Social Support and Personal Resilience Assure Confidence in Vocational Choice in Times of the Pandemic?

How Do Social Support and Personal Resilience Assure Confidence in Vocational Choice in Times of the Pandemic?

Family and Vocation in the Early Italian Renaissance: Boccaccio and Narratives of Filial Freedom

With an eye to joining literary and family history, this article examines Boccaccio's role in consolidating a new genre regarding the struggles of young people to choose their own paths against the constraints of paternal authority. In works of fiction, humanist scholarship, and biography, Boccaccio portrayed the struggle for filial freedom, both in terms of his own vocational aspirations as a young poet and in the struggle of young women to assert their freedom in the choice of spouse or vocation.

The Public Sector Personality: The Effects of Personality on Public Sector Interest for Men and Women

An important factor in vocational choice is whether to pursue a career in the public sector or the private sector. The perception of each sector impacts career choice, attracting individuals with certain traits. This perception-based attraction is important for public sector managers to understand what the ramifications of their branding are on recruitment, and whether it is impacting their workforce or ability to attract appropriate talent. Despite this importance, existing literature is very limited and presents contradictory findings. The present study investigated the impact of the Big Five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) on interest in public sector employment generally, as well as separately for all three levels of government (local, provincial, and federal), for men and women enrolled in a first-year management program. Extraversion was negatively related to an interest in the public sector for all three levels of government. Men and women did not differ significantly in their level of attraction to the public sector, and no statistically significant differences in personality-based interest were found between the three levels of government. An exploratory analysis of general interest in each level of government found that interest in the federal government was significantly higher than the municipal and provincial governments, although still low for all three levels of government. These results indicate potential challenges for public sector managers to attract candidates for highly social roles requiring an extraverted character.

Vocational Choice: A Narrative Identity Approach Conceived from Cultural Psychology

Vocation has been studied from perspectives such as trait-factor, differential psychology, and psychometrics. These perspectives have assumed it to be the precursor of a unique and definitive career choice, resulting from matching personal characteristics with the requirements of a job. Vocation has also been conceptualized as the product of evolutionary stages, dependent on maturational processes. However, the changing conditions of the contemporary world of work make it necessary to reconsider vocationality from a dynamic perspective that transcends the exclusively psychometric view. This article proposes an alternative approach to vocation, based on the processes of identity construction propose by cultural psychology. Thus, vocation is assumed as a process of a narrative nature, in constant formation, based on the symbolic resources with which people interact. Vocationality emerges as a historical, situated, and distributed phenomenon, marked by occupational and educational experiences, as well as by interactive experiences with significant others.

The Problem with the Anthropocene: Kainos, Not Anthropos

The Problem with the Anthropocene: <i>Kainos</i>, Not <i>Anthropos</i>

Игровой тренинг как эффективное средство выбора профессии старшеклассниками поколения Z

Рассматриваются вопросы эффективности подходов, используемых в профессиональной ориентации в современном образовании. Представлены результаты анализа состояния современного рынка труда, а также реальное количество граждан, работающих не по специальности. Выявлено, что неблагоприятная статистика формируется вследствие неэффективного проведения профориентационных мероприятий. Предложен профориентационный интерактивный игровой тренинг как инновационное средство профессиональной ориентации, являющийся более адаптивным по отношению к современным старшеклассникам – представителям поколения Z. Результаты проведенного эксперимента показали, что игровые интерактивные техники, используемые в процессе проведения тренинга, облегчают решение психодиагностических задач в профориентации. The questions of the effectiveness of methods and approaches used in vocational guidance in modern education are considered. The results of the analysis of the state of the modern labor market, as well as the real number of citizens working outside their specialty, are presented. It is indicated that unfavorable statistics are formed due to the absence or illiterate conduct of career guidance activities for modern adolescents in a comprehensive school, which contradicts the main regulatory documents governing the conduct of career guidance work. The article provides a critical analysis of career guidance psychodiagnostic methods currently used, which were created in the second half of the 20th century and do not take into account the specifics of professions, as well as the generational trend of modern adolescents. The authors have developed career guidance interactive game training as an innovative means of career guidance, which is more adaptive in relation to modern high school students – representatives of the Z generation. The results of the experiment showed that the proposed author’s career guidance system in the paradigm “author’s questionnaire – game career guidance training – individual consultations with parents and children” can be considered a more effective tool for the professional orientation of modern schoolchildren compared to other methods used in modern education.

Design and Build Vocational Choice Applications in Vocational Schools Using the SAW (Simple Additive Weighting) Method

Vocational High Schools provide knowledge of skills, interests, and talents according to vocational fields to face the world of work. The phenomenon that occurred in February 2022 stated that most SMK graduates were ready to work. Because of this, the data from the Central Bureau of Statistics on SMK graduates have a total score of 10.38%. So there is unemployment and a lack of interest and talent in choosing a vocational field. Based on information in determining vocational fields based on interests, talents, and colleagues there is no discrepancy between the major one chooses and personality. In measuring products, the Simple Additive Weighting method can be used to select the best alternative in the ranking process which totals the weight values ​​of all criteria.