Perceived influences on the career choices of children and youth: an exploratory study

Abstract

Children's understanding of factors influencing their career choices was examined. Seventy-two children, in grades kindergarten, 4, and 8, responded to questions about their perceptions of career influences. Responses were coded to capture the nature of the influences identified, including the global versus specific and linear versus interacting nature of these influences. Further, influences were coded as existing proximal versus distal to the child. Results indicate that older children identified more career influences that were either specific or categorical and interacted in dynamic ways. No evidence was found for older children offering influences that existed at a systems level of organization.Résumé. Influences perçues sur les choix de carrière par les enfants et les jeunes: Une étude exploratoire. Nous avons investigué la compréhension des enfants quant aux facteurs influençant leurs choix de carrière. Septante-deux enfants issus des niveaux 1 er , 4 ème et 8 ème degrés scolaires ont répondu à des questions portant sur leurs perceptions des influences sur les parcours professionnels. Les réponses ont été codées dans le but d'extraire la nature des influences identifiées, y compris la nature globale versus spécifique, et linéaire versus interactive de ces influences. De plus, les influences ont été codées comme étant proximales versus distales vis-à-vis de l'enfant. Les résultats indiquent que les enfants plus âgés ont identifié davantage d'influences de carrière qui étaient soit spécifiques soit catégorielles et qui interagissaient de manière dynamique. Il n'a pas été démontré que les enfants plus âgés proposaient des influences existant à un niveau organisationnel des systèmes. Aucune preuve n'a été trouvée pour les enfants plus âgés proposant des influences qui existaient au niveau des systèmes des organisations.Zusammenfassung. Wahrgenommene Einflüsse auf Karriere/Laufbahnentscheidungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen: Eine explorative Studie. Wir untersuchten das Verständnis von Kindern im Bezug auf Einflussfaktoren bzgl. ihrer beruflichen Laufbahn. 72 Kinder aus dem Kindergarten und Klasse 4 und 8 haben Fragen zu ihrer Vorstellung von Laufbahneinflüssen beantwortet. Die Antworten wurden so kodiert, dass sie die natürlichen Einflüsse identifizieren, sowohl die globalen und die spezifischen, als auch die linearen versus die interaktionalen Einflüsse. Weiter wurden die Einflüsse in proximal und distal codiert. Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass ältere Kinder mehrere Laufbahneinflüsse identifizieren die entweder spezifisch oder kategorial sind und auf dynamische Weise miteinander interagieren. Es wurden keine Hinweise dafür gefunden, dass ältere Kinder Einflüsse anführen, die sich auf das Systemlevel der Organisation beziehen.Resumen. Influencias detectadas en la elección de carreras entre niñ os y jóve-nes: Un estudio exploratorio. Se examina la comprensión infantil sobre los factores que influyen en la elección de la carrera. 72 niños, de escuelas infantiles, grado 4 y 8, respondieron a preguntas acer...

Children's Career Expectations and Parents' Jobs: Intergenerational (Dis)continuities

“…Counselors could also stimulate middle school children's reflexivity on the role of proximal key figures (e.g., parents) and society on a person's career options, thus promoting a more inclusive and agentic approach to future career decision‐making. This could be done by asking children about perceived influences on their development; fostering children's self‐reflection on the role of key figures and role models in their lives; recommending movies or books that stimulate discussions about a person's role in their community, school, and work contexts; and fostering parent‐child conversations and group discussions about academic and occupational choices, life role management, and the impact of one's behaviors and choices on others and the community (Howard et al, 2015; Kenny et al, 2018; Marques et al, 2017).…”

“…However, less attention has been devoted to children's expectations. Expectations refer to the education level or job(s) children anticipate attaining based on perceived social influences and their understanding of personal characteristics within contextual affordances (Howard, Flanagan, Castine, & Walsh, 2015; Marques, Silva, Oliveira, Silva, & Taveira, 2017; Rojewski, 2007). Given the need to expand research on children's career expectations and to systematically promote their career development, we examined associations between children's career expectations and parents' jobs in terms of gender, prestige, and interest typology.…”

Working it out

“…This can help to prevent the emergence of stereotypical perceptions of certain educational and career paths. Research has shown that early interventions can bring lasting impact on children's development and perceptions of different occupations and of the subjects enabling access to them (see Howard et al 2015 for example for a summary of the evidence arguing the importance of own experiences of children in future career decisions). Gothard (1998) studying children in the United Kingdom finds high levels of interest and engagement amongst primary school (grade 4, 8-9 years) children during 'careers week' and high levels of receptiveness to learning about employment opportunities and skills.…”

Development of Nomophobia Profiles in Education Students through the Use of Multiple Correspondence Analysis

“…As a result of this, a link between smartphone dependence and relationships with other individuals is generated. With regards to degree title, some authors indicated that the degrees of Social and Infant Education are highly vocational [75][76][77]. This implies a high capacity of attention towards these types of higher studies relative to the degrees of Primary Education and Pedagogy, which are not so specific or vocational.…”