Factors related to the career development of women in nontraditional careers : a qualitative study

Dyke, Isabell (1992) Factors related to the career development of women in nontraditional careers : a qualitative study. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (27MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

The primary aim of this qualitative study was to identify factors salient in the career development of a select group of Newfoundland and Labrador women who were training or working in nontraditional occupations, from the perspective of the women. The study included thirteen women with ages ranging from nineteen to fifty. They were recruited through the Women's Advisory Council, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), Women in Trades and Technology (WITT), and through referrals from individuals and agencies. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews. -- A naturalistic method of data analysis was used following the general outline of Marshall and Rossman (1989). The interviews were videotaped and transcribed for data analysis. The factors considered important by the individual women were identified and grouped according to the factors extracted from the literature. Firstly, the organized data were read and reread to identify emerging themes. Secondly, the data were condensed to remove redundancies. Finally, the narrative excerpts from the transcripts of the individual women were related to the theoretical constructs considered salient in the career development of women. During the data analysis process, it was necessary to read the transcripts many times in order not to 'pigeon hole' the responses of the women. Consequently, it was necessary to read the responses as the voices of individual women who shared many of the same personal and environmental factors but who were dissimilar in many ways from one another. -- The career development theories proposed by Super (1953, as cited in Herr and Cramer, 1988), Farmer (1985) and Betz & Fitzgerald (1987), formed the basis for the conceptual development framework. The findings of the semi-structured interviews were subsequently examined in light of the theories and the application of same to the real life stories of these women with the theories, thereby relating practice to theory. -- Findings indicated that the career paths of the women were similar in that the women were influenced by a number of different factors. As well, the women in this study appeared to consider career development as a continuous process that was necessary for personal satisfaction throughout the life span. -- Recommendations for practice focused on the need for improved career education for women and their families in isolated areas of the province. Recommendations for research included studying the development of coping abilities and self-concept of women throughout the life span, the influence of personal attributes on career development, and the influence of significant others such as family and support groups on the career development of women.

Actions (login required)

View Item