The career constructions of and influences on career choices of adolescents in a low-income school
Blomerus, Liesl (2016-12-01)
ENGLISH ABSTRACT : In a multi-cultural society such as South Africa, the implementation of career psychology has been challenging as most of our approaches to career counselling have been derived from a westernised perspective. These approaches are based on the notion that people have a choice with regard to the career pathway they want to pursue. However, this is not true for the majority of South Africans, and therefore these approaches are not applicable to them. It is evident that the development of indigenous approaches to career psychology is necessary to serve the needs of the majority. The primary objective of this research was to gain an in-depth understanding of the Construct of career and the influences on career choices of adolescents attending a low-income school. The aim was also to contribute to the literature that is needed to develop more indigenous approaches. The study used an interpretive paradigm and the research design was a collective case study. The research was conducted at a high school in a small, historically coloured, Afrikaans-speaking community and the sample consisted of eleven grade nine learners. Data collection involved a systems-based activity, a photovoice activity, a focus group and individual interviews. The data were analysed using the constant comparative method.
The research findings indicated that the participants’ understanding of the construct of career was linear, future-oriented and demonstrative of limited insight. Furthermore, the participants showed a lack of career maturity that can be attributed to the fact that South Africa still tends to follow westernised approaches. Influences in the social system, such as parents, siblings, teachers and the media, were identified as both positive and negative influences. Finally, issues of social justice and inequality were identified due to the influence that the participants’ low socio-economic status had on their career choices.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : In 'n multikulturele samelewing soos Suid-Afrika, is die implementering van loopbaansielkunde problematies, aangesien dit grootliks gegrond is op westerse benaderings tot beroepsvoorligting. Hierdie benaderings is gegrond op die aanname dat mense 'n keuse het ten opsigte van die loopbaanpad wat hulle wil nastreef. Dit weerspieël egter nie die realiteit vir die meerderheid van Suid-Afrikaners nie. Hierdie benaderings is dus nie van toepassing nie. Dit is duidelik dat die ontwikkeling van inheemse benaderings tot loopbaansielkunde noodsaaklik is om aan die behoeftes van die meerderheid te voorsien.
Die hoofdoel van hierdie navorsing was om 'n in-diepte begrip van die konstruk ‘loopbaan’ te verkry, asook die invloede op loopbaankeuses van adolessente wat 'n lae-inkomste skool bywoon. ‘n Verdere doel was om by te dra tot die literatuur wat benodig word om inheemse benaderings te onwikkel. Die studie het 'n interpretatiewe paradigma gebruik en die navorsingsontwerp was 'n kollektiewe gevallestudie. Die navorsing is gedoen by 'n hoër skool in 'n klein, histories bruin, Afrikaanssprekende gemeenskap en die steekproef het bestaan uit elf graad nege leerders. Data-insameling het ‘n sisteemgebaseerde aktiwiteit, ‘n fotoneem aktiwiteit, 'n fokusgroep en individuele onderhoude behels. Die data is ontleed met behulp van die konstante vergelykende metode.
Die navorsingsresultate het aangedui dat die deelnemers se begrip van die konstruk van loopbaan lineêr en toekomsgerig is maar met beperkte insig. Verder het die deelnemers 'n gebrek aan beroepsvolwassenheid getoon wat toegeskryf kan word aan die feit dat Suid-Afrika steeds neig om westerse benaderings te volg. Invloede binne die sosiale sisteem, soos ouers, broers en susters, onderwysers en die media, is aangedui as beide positief en negatief. Ten slotte is kwessies van sosiale geregtigheid en ongelykheid ook uitgewys weens die invloed wat die deelnemers se lae sosio-ekonomiese status op hul beroepskeuses het.
Please refer to this item in SUNScholar by using the following persistent URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/100290