Career aspirations, future expectations, and immediate career plans of level III students from selected rural and urban schools in Newfoundland and Labrador

Whalen, Calvin W. (2000) Career aspirations, future expectations, and immediate career plans of level III students from selected rural and urban schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the career aspirations, immediate career plans, and future career expectations of Level III students from selected rural and urban areas of Newfoundland and Labrador. This study also examined student perceptions of factors that were considered to be problematic in deciding career plans as well as factors that influenced their career plans. -- Individual questionnaires were administered to 104 Level III students attending five different Senior High schools located in rural communities within the Green Bay area, and 67 Level III students attending a Senior High school located in the province's largest urban center and capital, St. John's. Data analysis was completed using the statistical program, SPSS. Descriptive statistics that included frequencies, percentages, and crosstabs were used along with chi-squared analysis to summarize findings and compare differences. -- The career aspirations of students were consistent with findings reported in earlier studies. Although most students, particularly males, made gender stereotypical choices in occupations, their choices overall were in growth areas that hold promise for future employment. Approximately three-quarters of the students planned to pursue post-secondary education immediately following high school graduation. Most students expected to be employed full-time outside the province in five to ten years after high school graduation. -- The factors most commonly perceived by students to be problematic in deciding career plans were: not knowing what program to do, lack of academic qualifications, and the high cost of post-secondary education. Community attachment was considered by most rural students not to be a problem in pursuing post-secondary education or employment. -- Most students perceived that their parents played the most significant role in influencing their career plans followed by friends and academic ability. Females perceived their mothers were more influential on their career plans while males perceived their fathers as being more influential. -- It is recommended that government, post-secondary institutions, schools, and community agencies partner together in more deliberate and direct ways to educate students about the labour market, its trends, and future occupations, and to guide them more effectively in their career planning process. It is also recommended that parents be empowered through such partnerships to provide informed and adequate career guidance to their children.

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