Career and Other Factors Influencing Postsecondary Decisions: Survey of High School Students in Alberta, Canada.

Abstract

The range, magnitude, and intensity of the problems currently facing parents, educators, and others involved in preparing young people to become effective, self-fulfilled, contributing members of society are well documented. One major area of concern is policy makers and society in general is the transition from school to employment. During this difficult period, seemingly irrevocable decisions have to be made. Aspirations and reality have to be reconciled. Specifically, a pattern of adult life has to be initiated that includes communicating with adults and peers in new formal and informal learning situations. It is always difficult to make choices that will have long-term implications; yet, in adolescence, choices have to be made about academic subjects, coursework, training and qualifications, a career, and whether to work for others or for oneself. Decisions must be made about the advice offered by parents, teachers, counselors, and peers. Although work has many different meanings for human beings, it is the “backbone of an individual’s life” (Paulter, 1995, p. 19). The presence or absence of work is perhaps the most important pivotal point in a human’s life. Generally, individuals spend their early years preparing for work, the major section of life doing the chosen work, and the last part of life retired from work. The aim of this study is to identify the extent to which certain factors influence career choices and the transitional pathways that lead to further education and finally to employment for high school students in Alberta. The important question of this study is the investigation of career and other factors, and the role they play in influencing Alberta high school students in pursuing higher education and making career choices. There are several studies of various facets of the relationship between the person and work. Holland (1985), Osipow (1983), Roe and Siegelman (1964), Sunter (1992), and Super (1990) have written about the need for work, the satisfaction obtained from work, the process of choosing a career, the problems associated with indecision and poor choice, and the difficulties experienced from inadequate career planning. How do young people make the transition to employment? Do students have career plans? Is choice of a career a point-in-time phenomenon or a sequence of decisions that evolve Career and Other Factors Influencing Postsecondary Decisions: Survey of High School Students in Alberta, Canada