Research Study The career maturity of college freshmen as impacted by career counseling received in grades K-12: A reflective study

Career Maturity  Super (1955)  Five Stages Growth (birth to age 14 or 15) Exploration (ages 15-24) Establishment (ages 25-44) Maintenance (ages 45-64) Decline (ages 65 plus)  Career Maturity defined by Savickas (1984) The readiness of an individual to make informed, age appropriate career decisions and cope with appropriate career development tasks.

Transition  Shift away from age appropriate career decision making  Super & Knasel (1981) introduced Career Adaptability (CA)  Readiness to cope with changing work and working conditions  No longer age linked  Recycling  My Research – Integration of CM & CA (One Concept)  Achieving the level of knowledge and understanding of oneself and the world of work, which provides the ability to make realistic and viable career choices at any point in one’s life, along with the readiness to cope with predictable and unpredictable life changes and life roles.

Methodology  Sample  Freshmen Enrolled in University 101 classes during fall semester 2005  Study Variables  Independent Variables Gender Ethnicity Career guidance and counseling received in grades K-12  Dependent Variable Career Maturity

Instrumentation  1) My Vocational Situation (MVS) questionnaire (1980)  Career Maturity (CM)  Two groups Top MVS profile (high CM = Scores 15-26) Bottom MVS profile (low CM = Scores 0-11)  2) Researcher Designed Survey  Based on the eleven career competencies from the National Career Development Guidelines (2003). Content (competencies achieved) Process (delivery methods) Individual, Small group, Classroom, Other

National Career Development Guidelines – Career Competencies  1) Develop understanding of self to build and maintain a positive self-concept.  2) Develop positive interpersonal skills including respect for diversity.  3) Integrate growth and change into your career development.  4) Balance personal, leisure, community, learner, family, and work roles.  5) Attain educational achievement and performance levels needed to reach your personal and career goals.  6) Participate in ongoing, lifelong learning experiences to enhance your ability to function effectively in a diverse and changing economy.

National Career Development Guidelines – Career Competencies  7) Create and manage a career plan that meets your career goals.  8) Use a process of decision-making as one component of career development.  9) Use accurate, current and unbiased career information during career planning and management.  10) Master academic, occupational and general employability skills in order to obtain, create, maintain and/or advance your employment.  11) Integrate changing employment trends, societal needs and economic conditions into your career plans.

Summary of Major Findings  Gender  This study provides evidence that gender has no effect on competencies achieved or delivery methods provided.  Ethnicity  This study provides evidence that ethnicity has no effect on competencies achieved or delivery methods provided.  These findings indicate:  Students are able to achieve the career competencies at a high level regardless of gender or ethnicity.  Delivery methods appear to be provided by school counselors equally, regardless of gender or ethnicity.

Summary of Major Findings  Career Guidance & Counseling (K-12)  For 8 of the 11 career competencies – (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10) – a statistically significant relationship at the.05 level was found between degree of career maturity and the competencies achieved.  These data provide evidence that achieving more of the 11 competencies at the “totally achieved” or “mostly achieved” degrees of achievement does result in a higher degree of career maturity and that these 8 competencies are very important in reaching a higher degree of CM.  Six of these 8 (1, 3, 6, 7, 9, & 10) – Significant at the.001 level. Indicates that these six may be of utmost importance.

Summary of Major Findings  Career Guidance & Counseling (K-12)  The study provides evidence that overall, how the competencies are delivered by school counselors (Individual, small group, or classroom) does not appear to matter. However; the “other-not school counseling related” delivery method was shown to be significant for 8 of the 11 career competencies – (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10) Evidence - Important method for achieving a high degree of CM All 8 competencies (with the exception of #4) shown to be related to high degree of CM (see previous slide)

Implications for School Counselors  Comprehensive career guidance and counseling programs * Based on the eleven competencies/goals from the NCDG * Attention to the 8 career competencies – more important. Competencies 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 * Specific attention to the 6 competencies – utmost importance Competencies 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 10 Provide career counseling services to all students equally, regardless of gender or ethnicity. * Work to assist in providing the “other” delivery method. Work with parents, teachers, administrators, and the community.