Understanding the complex process of career development of young people with refugee backgrounds, who resettle in developed countries after experiencing prolonged migration journeys, is a contemporary priority at a time when the highest number of people in recorded history is in urgent need of resettlement. Moving towards anticipated futures and access to appropriate work could be challenging for these young people after resettlement, considering the effects of protracted displacement that might have silenced their agency. To propose new ways of assisting young people with refugee backgrounds with such challenges, further research that increases knowledge about their career development is needed. The current research aimed to enhance understandings of the career development of young people with refugee backgrounds through culturally and contextually sensitive exploration of their career stories. Using a qualitative exploratory multiple case study method informed by narrative inquiry, qualitative data were generated through interviews and analysed using a voice-centred relational method. Each participant's unique career story reflected the operation of various voices, relationships, social structures and dominant narratives, influential in reshaping their future career plans. Findings revealed that narrative inquiry fostered rich storytelling for young people with refugee backgrounds. These findings suggest that narrative career counselling could assist them to re-contextualise their skills, strengths, knowledge and career plans after resettlement. Through such re-contextualisation, voices that might have been lost or diminished during multiple transitions have space to re-emerge. This process may be a first step towards gaining a sense of agency that is needed for the actualisation of preferred career plans.

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This article reports on a secondary analysis of qualitative research about five African young adults with refugee backgrounds who storied through semi-structured interviews their career transition in the complex, everchanging systems of their migration journeys. Qualitative descriptors of career adaptability and the systems of the Systems Theory Framework informed data analysis. Findings revealed that the recursive interaction between the five career adaptability dimensions occurred within complex personal, social, geographic and socio-political systems of the migration journey. Findings extend theoretical understandings of career adaptability as a process deeply embedded in complex contextual systems. Suggestions inform career practitioners and future career research.

Youth with refugee backgrounds face challenges in their journey towards successful integration in Australia. Some challenges relate to macro-level changes occurring in the world of work and some to their transition from an agrarian or industrial society to a post-industrial Western country. Addressing the future career development of youth with refugee backgrounds may lead to improved integration outcomes. As career counselling has its roots in social justice, assisting those from refugee backgrounds to integrate into Australian society is an important task for career counsellors. However, career counsellors need to respond with caution and sensitivity as many models and theories have been criticised for not responding to multicultural and contextual issues concerning diverse populations. This article outlines some of the challenges faced by youth with refugee backgrounds in Australia, considers possible relevant approaches for career counselling and proposes suggestions for career counsellors.

Combining quantitative career assessment with narrative career counselling is a career counselling challenge. The Integrative Structured Interview (ISI) facilitates this integration through the narration of career stories based on quantitative scores, such as those of the Self-Directed Search. The aims of this single case research were to: (a) examine the process of an Integrative Structured Interview with a participant, and (b) explore it from the participant and interviewer perspectives using an interpersonal process recall interview. The results suggest the benefits of the ISI process and a need for further research with a range of client groups.