How young people make career decisions

Abstract

Although career decision making by young people is of central importance in current training policy in Britain, there has been little recent research into how career decisions are made. Summarizes some of the findings from one such study, in the context of one of the training credits pilot schemes. Based on these findings, describes a complex process of pragmatically rational decision making by young people. This is at odds with the technically rational assumptions that underpin much current education and training policy. Shows assumptions that good quality guidance and better information can help most young people to make “correct” career decisions when they leave school to be fallacious. Suggests that policies need to recognize that changes of mind and of career direction are normal for many young people. We need to work out ways of dealing with this reality, rather than trying to avoid it.

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