Socio-psychological and background factors influencing the displaced Newfoundland and Labrador fishery workers' motivation to retrain

Veley, Sharon (1996) Socio-psychological and background factors influencing the displaced Newfoundland and Labrador fishery workers' motivation to retrain. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Drastic declines in the northern cod stocks off the coast of Newfoundland prompted the Canadian Federal government to declare a moratorium on fishing and to offer displaced workers a financial compensation package which included an option to retrain into an industry or career field outside the fishery. At the end of the Northern Cod Adjustment and Recovery Program (NCARP), it was found that fisherpeople had not been highly motivated to take advantage of retraining opportunities. The second stage of assistance to fishery workers, The Atlantic Groundfish Strategies Labour Adjustment Component (TAGS) followed NCARP with a five year income and programs support structure that also included prominent retraining opportunities. -- The impact of personal and situational influences which were thought to be crucial to an individual's decision to retrain was studied through the administration of a questionnaire to retraining NCARP/TAGS recipients. Data from the questionnaires were analyzed through multiple regression and crosstabulation analyses. Results indicated that the factors which appear to primarily influence motivation to retrain were not inherent to an individual and may thus be modified to foster and promote an increased willingness to retrain in the future. Background variables such as age, gender, marital status, completion of high school and number of dependents did impact in part on attitudes toward retraining but the major influences emerged in the form of the socio-psychological variables (degree of reliance on the fishery, perceived age, perceived school ability, self-actualization, attachment to the community, significant others and career planning). Such socio-psychological variables account for 75% of the variance in attitudes towards retraining. -- Based on the study, it is recommended that the generational restructuring of the fishery of the future be recognized through revised career planning including age-based goal setting and career aspiration programs, particularly for those over forty; retraining in non-traditional careers be presented as a viable option; a campaign to promote awareness of career fields in which employment is available within the province of Newfoundland and Labrador be instituted; and spouses be involved in the retraining process as peer or co-counsellors.

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