Initiating change in career decision-making:

an action research approach

Published: January 2010; Pages: 127; File size: 6MB

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Research suggests that graduates from working class backgrounds tend to perform less well in the labour market (in terms of both obtaining employment and earnings) than their middle–class counterparts.

This report by Paul Greenbank, of the Teaching and Learning Development Unit, Edge Hill University, builds on work carried out in  earlier PROP research carried out by P Greenbank & S Hepworth Working class students and the career decision-making process: a qualitative study (2008). In that they examined the extent to which the way working class students approached career decision-making might contribute to their disadvantage in the labour market

This latest study discovered that the students did not adopt a systematic and comprehensive (i.e. rational) approach to career decisionmaking and planning as promoted by those providing careers education and advice.  It found that the students often failed to consider a wide range of career options. In addition, many of the students did not utilise professional careers advice, preferring to use informal sources of information (e.g. parents, relatives and friends) and more intuitive forms of decision-making. Also, the majority of students made little attempt to improve their employability by engaging in relevant extra-curricular activities.