The objective of the study was to determine the impact of a train-the-trainer career education programme on educators and black grade eleven learners in the Ekurhuleni districts of Gauteng. The context of career education in South Africa is such that learners have little exposure to career information and planning. This is a result of an education system which historically has placed little emphasis on the preparation of learners for the world of work. In the past little or no career guidance was conducted in black schools. To overcome this dilemma a train-the-trainer career education programme was developed and implemented with educators in the Ekurhuleni district. The results showed that educators felt empowered by the programme and that it provided them with resources and information. The impact on the learners in terms of the programme was achieved by means of a pre- and post-test on the Career Development Questionnaire (CDQ). A convenience sample of grade eleven learners (n = 5 1) in the Ekurhuleni East district of Gauteng was taken. The results indicate that the learner's career maturity scores increased after their exposure to the programme. This research serves as a model for the development and implementation of a train the trainer career education programme and demonstrates how an action-oriented research design can empower educators in the implementation of such a programme. The study also highlights the importance of providing adequate resources as part of career education intervention in the South Africa context. Recommendations for organisations and future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

The objective of the study was to determine the impact of a train-the-trainer career education programme on educators and black grade eleven learners in the Ekurhuleni districts of Gauteng. The context of career education in South Africa is such that learners have little exposure to career information and planning. This is a result of an education system which historically has placed little emphasis on the preparation of learners for the world of work. In the past little or no career guidance was conducted in black schools. To overcome this dilemma a train-the-trainer career education programme was developed and implemented with educators in the Ekurhuleni district. The results showed that educators felt empowered by the programme and that it provided them with resources and information. The impact on the learners in terms of the programme was achieved by means of a pre- and post-test on the Career Development Questionnaire (CDQ). A convenience sample of grade eleven learners (n = 5 1) in the Ekurhuleni East district of Gauteng was taken. The results indicate that the learner's career maturity scores increased after their exposure to the programme. This research serves as a model for the development and implementation of a train the trainer career education programme and demonstrates how an action-oriented research design can empower educators in the implementation of such a programme. The study also highlights the importance of providing adequate resources as part of career education intervention in the South Africa context. Recommendations for organisations and future research are made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2006.

Επιχειρείται η διερεύνηση των αντιλήψεων των Συμβούλων Σταδιοδρομίας των Σχολείων Δεύτερης Ευκαιρίας (ΣΔΕ) σχετικά με το ρόλο τους στην επαγγελματική ανάπτυξη των ενηλίκων εκπαιδευομένων. Διερευνάται πως η εκπαιδευτική και επαγγελματική διαδρομή των Συμβούλων Σταδιοδρομίας στα ΣΔΕ επηρεάζει την ιδιότητα και το ρόλο τους. Ποια η αντίληψη των Συμβούλων Σταδιοδρομίας για την συμβολή του ρόλου τους, στην επαγγελματική ανάπτυξη των εκπαιδευόμενων στα ΣΔΕ. Πως οι αντιλήψεις για τις συνθήκες λειτουργίας και το πλαίσιο του θεσμού της Συμβουλευτικής Σταδιοδρομίας στα ΣΔΕ, (σχέσεις των Συμβούλων Σταδιοδρομίας τόσο με τους άλλους εκπαιδευτές, όσο και με το ΙΔΕΚΕ, τους άλλους φορείς εξυπηρέτησης ενηλίκων και την τοπική κοινωνία), επηρέαζουν την επαγγελματική ανάπτυξη των ενηλίκων εκπαιδευομένων στα ΣΔΕ. Ποιες οι απόψεις των Συμβούλων Σταδιοδρομίας για την αποδοτικότητα του θεσμού της Συμβουλευτικής Σταδιοδρομίας στα ΣΔΕ όσον αφορά την επαγγελματική ανάπτυξη των ενηλίκων εκπαιδευομένων και ποιες οι προτάσεις τους για τη βελτίωση του θεσμού που έχουν να καταθέσουν. Χρησιμοποιείται η μέθοδος της ημιδομημένης συνέντευξης, η οποία αποβλέπει στην καταγραφή των απόψεων και των εμπειριών των συμβούλων, που συμμετέχουν στη συμβουλευτική διαδικασία στα Σχολεία Δεύτερης Ευκαιρίας. Εξετάζεται επίσης, η συμβολή της Συμβουλευτικής Σταδιοδρομίας στους ενήλικες εκπαιδευόμενους των ΣΔΕ, ο ρόλος των συμβούλων Σταδιοδρομίας, (προσόντα. επιστημονικές γνώσεις, ποιοτικά χαρακτηριστικά) στην παραπάνω διαδικασία, καθώς επίσης ο τρόπος που δομούν και ασκούν το ρόλο τους και κατά πόσο αυτός επηρεάζει την επαγγελματική και κατά συνέπεια την κοινωνική ένταξη των εκπαιδευόμενων των Σ.Δ.Ε. / Attempts to investigate the perceptions of Career Counsellors of Second Chance Schools (SDE) on their role in the professional development of adult learners. Investigated how the educational and professional journey of Directors of Career SBS affects the status and role. What is the concept of career guidance for the contribution of their role, the professional development of trainees in SBS. How do perceptions of conditions and the context of the institution of Career Counseling in AAD (relationships of Career Counsellors, both with other trainers, and the IDEKE, other adult service agencies and local community) affect the professional development adult learners in SBS. What are the views of Career Counsellors for the profitability of the institution of Career Guidance in SBS for the professional development of adult learners and what their suggestions for improving the institution having to testify. The method of semi-structured interview, designed to record the views and experiences of the consultants involved in the consultative process in the Second Chance Schools. Also examined the contribution of Career Counseling in adult learners of SBS, the role of consultants Career (prosonta. scientific knowledge, qualities) in this process, as well as how they construct and perform their role and how it affects the professional and therefore the inclusion of learners of SDE

Syftet med vår studie var att undersöka vilka eventuella skillnader och likheter i kompetenser som studie- och yrkesvägledare och coacher besitter och använder i sitt arbete. Utifrån vårt syfte formulerade vi följande tre forskningsfrågor; Vilka kompetenser har de intervjuade studie- och yrkesvägledare erfarenhet av i sin yrkesutövning? Vilka kompetenser har de intervjuade coacherna erfarenhet av i sin yrkesutövning? Och Vilka är de två yrkebenämningarnas eventuella skillnader och likheter i avseende på kompetensinnehav och kompetensanvändning. För att få svar på våra forskningsfrågor så valde vi att genomföra åtta stycken kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra stycken studie- och yrkesvägledare och fyra stycken coacher där samtliga arbetar inom området studier och/eller arbete. För att analysera vårt resultat så tog vi hjälp av EU ́s organ, Cedefops kompetensbeskrivningar av vägledarens arbetsuppgifter samt Kerstin Keens kompetensbeskrivning och Knud Illeris utökade kompetensbegrepp. Resultatet visar att studie- och yrkesvägledarna lyfter fram fem stycken fokusområden vilka är; Metoder och teorier, Empati, Acceptera människors olikheter och olika förutsättningar, Motivation och hopp samt Trygghet, gällande vilka kompetenser som de besitter och använder. Även coacherna lyfter i sina intervjuer fram fem stycken fokusområden vilka är; Arbetssätt och metoder med klienten, Hjälpa klienten att se sina framgångar eller brister, Att klienten åstadkommer något, Våga vara obekväm samt Anpassningar, gällande vilka kompetenser som de besitter och använder. Resultatet visade även att studie- och yrkesvägledarna i vår studie har ett större fokus kring metoder och teorier än våra intervjuade coacher hade. Coacherna däremot hade ett stort fokus på att våga vara obekväm, vara ärlig och att arbeta med att utmana klienterna på olika sätt, vilket inte var lika tydligt hos studie- och yrkesvägledarna. Resultatet visade även på likheter så som att båda yrkesrollerna arbetar empatiskt samt att de arbetar utifrån kompetensen att kunna motivera klienterna till handling. Resultatet från vår studie kan inte uppfattas som generell för alla studie- och yrkesvägledare eller alla coacher utan kan bara hjälpa oss att få en inblick i de kompetenser som de båda yrkesrollerna besitter och använder. / The purpose of our study was to investigate the possible differences and similarities in the skills that study and career counselors and coaches own and use in their work. Based on our purpose, we formulated the following three research questions; What skills does the interviewed study and career counselors have experience off in their professional practices? What skills does the interviewed coaches have experience off in their professional practices? And what are the differences and similarities between the two occupations in terms of competence and competence use. To answer our research questions, we chose to conduct eight qualitative interviews with four study and career counselors and four coaches, all working in the field of study and / or work. In order to analyze our results, we took the help of EU bodies, Cedefop's competence descriptions of the supervisor's duties, and Kerstin Keen's competence description and Knud Illeri's extended competence description. The results show that the study and career counselors highlight five focus areas which are; Methods and Theories, Empathy, Accepting People's Differences and Different Conditions, Motivation and Hope, and Safety, regarding the skills they possess and use. The coaches also highlight five focus areas in their interviews, which are; Way of working and methods with the client, Help the client to see their successes or shortcomings, That the client accomplishes something, The ability be uncomfortable, and Adaptations, regarding the skills they possess and use. The results also showed that the study and career counselors in our study have a greater focus on methods and theories than our interviewed coaches had. The coaches, on the other hand, had a great focus on the ability to be uncomfortable, honest and to work to challenge the clients in different ways, which was not as clear in the case of the study and career counselors. The result also showed similarities such as the fact that both professional roles work empathically and that they work with the ability to motivate the clients into action. The results of our study can not be perceived as general for all student counselors or coaches, but can help us gain insight into the skills that both professors possess and use in their work with clients in this area.

The general aim of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between employee wellness (specifically sense of coherence, burnout, sources of job stress and work engagement) and career anchors, and to determine whether gender, race, employment and age groups differed in terms of the employee wellness and career anchors variables. The study was conducted among a random sample of 90 employees in a typical South African work context. The data was collected by means of the Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ), Maslach’s Burnout Inventory (MBI), Sources of Job Stress, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Career Orientations Inventory (COI). Supporting evidence indicates significant associations between employee wellness and the career anchors variables. The results also showed significant differences between the career anchors of males, females, blacks, whites, permanent staff, contract staff and age groups. The findings contribute valuable new knowledge to the wellness and career literature and organisational practices related to employee wellness and career decision making. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.Com. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Quelle est la structure décisionnelle de la compétence à s’orienter ? Après avoir analysé les modèles existants et parcouru plusieurs recherches étudiant l’impact de différentes variables, nous avons proposé un modèle général qui pourrait se baser à la fois sur des modèles structuraux différenciant des axes d’internalité et d’externalité, sur des modèles hiérarchiques et sur des modèles dynamiques. La validation de ce modèle repose sur deux études empiriques distinctes. Une première expérimentation avec groupe témoin a été réalisée auprès de 665 étudiants issus de trois filières universitaires (psychologie, sciences et lettres) et a permis d’observer la mobilité de la maturité de carrière au cours d’une action d’orientation. La seconde, menée auprès de 322 étudiants en psychologie et en sciences, a montré l’interaction de nombreuses variables internes, comme le locus de contrôle, le sentiment d’efficacité personnelle, l’autonomie, l’anxiété décisionnelle et la maturité de carrière, cette dernière pouvant s’inscrire comme une composante d’un modèle général, hiérarchique, dynamique et multivarié de la compétence à s’orienter. Une recherche complémentaire auprès de 186 étudiants a montré l’aspect à la fois modérateur et conflictuel des valeurs d’ouverture au changement (autonomie et stimulation) et de continuité (tradition et conformité) à l’œuvre lors du processus décisionnel. / What is the decision-making structure that underpins career self-determination? Having examined existing models and various studies of the impact of their respective variables, we propose a general model which is inspired by three others: a structural model differentiating between internal and external axes, a hierarchical model and a dynamic model. In order to confirm this hypothesis, we have conducted two distinct experiments. The first of these, with a sample group of 665 students from three university backgrounds (psychology, general science and humanities), enabled us to observe the changing dynamics of career maturity during a career guidance activity. The second experiment, carried out with 322 psychology and science students, showed the interaction of numerous internal personal characteristics, such as the locus of control, the feeling of self-efficacy, autonomy, decision stress and career maturity. As opposed to earlier general preconceptions, we suggest that this last characteristic (career maturity) is just one of the components of a general self-determination model based on hierarchy, dynamics and multiple variables. Subsequent research, carried out with 186 students, has shown the moderating and conflictual aspects of the values (autonomy and stimulation) adopted by persons open to change and the values (tradition and conformity) of persons preferring to continue without change within the decision process.

A Educação para a Carreira foi um movimento surgido nos Estados Unidos na década de 1970, que propunha uma reforma na educação americana, desde o ensino elementar, fundamentada na ideia de que a educação escolar deveria ser socialmente útil, desenvolvendo no indivíduo habilidades que pudessem ser aproveitadas futuramente, quando ingressasse no mundo do trabalho. Embora essa concepção estivesse presente no pensamento educacional americano desde os primórdios da formação do Estado, sua retomada pelo movimento da Educação para Carreira num momento de declínio econômico, em que as indústrias buscavam novas estratégias de enfrentamento, abrindo espaço para a emergência do toyotismo, favoreceu a obtenção do apoio ostensivo de um grande número de associações civis e profissionais, além dos próprios educadores. A Educação para a Carreira se expandiu para outros países que viviam uma situação semelhante, sendo que, no Brasil, permanece sendo uma prática pouco conhecida, uma vez que há, no campo da orientação profissional, uma preponderância no uso da abordagem clínica nos atendimentos, mesmo aqueles desenvolvidos no contexto escolar. Há muitos estudos realizados em escolas que indicam o quão a orientação profissional favorece os jovens que se encontram em momento de escolha. Entretanto, paradoxalmente, a orientação profissional permanece ocupando um lugar marginal dentro deste contexto. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi buscar conhecer a realidade concreta de uma escola pública técnica do Estado de São Paulo, procurando compreender as possibilidades e a viabilidade de uma proposta de Educação para a Carreira, em formato de disciplina integrada à grade curricular dos alunos, tornar-se uma prática sistematizada no cotidiano da mesma, no intuito de superar essa posição marginal. Para tanto, a pesquisa desenvolveu-se em duas etapas. Na primeira, a partir da abordagem etnográfica, foi realizado um mapeamento do contexto escolar e suas sobredeterminações, no sentido de melhor compreendê-lo. Na segunda parte, tratou-se da construção, da implementação e da avaliação da prática interventiva em educação para a carreira no formato de uma disciplina integrante da grade curricular da escola. Frente aos resultados obtidos, é possível afirmar que esta pesquisa teve relevância não só porque proporcionou aos alunos um espaço de reflexão sobre seus estudos e projetos profissionais futuros, mas, principalmente, porque demonstrou que este espaço pode ser instituído na escola, fazendo parte do projeto políticopedagógico da mesma, ainda que não haja políticas públicas específicas na área que tragam essa obrigatoriedade. Foi possível constatar que o arcabouço legal proporcionado pela LDBEN de 1996, que permite à escola diversificar parte de seu currículo, somado a uma postura mais ativa do orientador profissional junto à mesma, pode promover, ali, a existência de um espaço de reflexão sistematizado para o jovem se preparar adequadamente para a transição escola-trabalho / The Career Education was a movement that emerged in United States in the 1970s which proposed a reform in American education, from elementary school, based on the idea that schooling should be socially useful, developing the individual skills that could be used in the future, when they would enter in the labor market. Although this idea had presented in American educational thoughts since the beginning of states formation, its resurgence by Career Education at a time of economic decline when industries were seeking to new strategies to continue in the market, opening a space to the emergence of Toyotism, brought a great support of a large number of civil and professional associations and educators themselves. The Career Education expanded to other countries that lived a similar situation. In Brazil, the Career Education remains a practice poorly known because there is a preponderance of clinical approach in the career guidance practice, even those developed in the schools. There are many researches in schools that indicate how career guidance helps young people who are in the moment of choice. However, paradoxically, the career guidance remains occupying a marginal place in this context. The aim of this study was try to know the reality of a technical public school in São Paulo, trying to understand the possibilities and feasibility of a career education proposal, as curriculum subject, to turn it into a systematic practice in the daily one of the school with the objective to overcome this marginal position. Therefore, this research was conducted in two stages. At first, from the ethnographic approach, we were mapped the school context and over determinations in order to understand it. In the second part, we built, implemented and evaluated the intervention practice as a curriculum subject. As results we can say that this research had relevance because it gave to students a space for reflection about their studies and future professional projects and because it demonstrated that this space can be set up in the school as part of their political-pedagogical project, although there is no specific public policies in the area that bring this obligation. It also was possible to see that the legal framework provided by LDBEN of 1996, which allows the school to diversify part of their curriculum, coupled with a more active attitude of the counselor, can promote a systematic reflection space for the young people be properly prepared for a school-work transition

A transição da universidade para o mundo do trabalho, bem como o sucesso na carreira, são temas de interesse dos pesquisadores da psicologia vocacional. Contudo, pouca atenção tem sido dedicada ao estudo do sucesso nessa importante transição na perspectiva de recém-formados. Buscando preencher tal lacuna, esta investigação teve como objetivo geral descrever e explicar o sucesso na transição universidade-trabalho. Foram conduzidos três estudos. O primeiro, de natureza qualitativa, buscou explorar as definições de sucesso na transição universidade-trabalho. No segundo estudo, foi construído, a partir dos dados qualitativos, um instrumento multifatorial que avalia diferentes indicadores de sucesso na transição universidade-trabalho. Essa medida se mostrou psicometricamente adequada e foi utilizada como variável dependente no terceiro estudo, de natureza longitudinal, sobre os determinantes do sucesso na carreira depois da conclusão da graduação. Para cada estudo, os participantes foram recrutados por conveniência. Para o primeiro estudo, qualitativo, colaboraram nove recém-formados, organizados em dois grupos focais. Para o segundo estudo, de validação da medida, utilizou-se o procedimento de validação cruzada com duas amostras independentes, totalizando 377 recém-formados. Para o terceiro estudo, de natureza longitudinal, obteve-se a colaboração de 195 participantes que responderam à pesquisa em dois momentos: durante o último ano da graduação e quando já tinham finalizado a formação superior (follow-up). Os pressupostos da análise do discurso e da epistemologia construcionista social subsidiaram as análises do estudo qualitativo. Os dados quantitativos foram analisados por meio de programas estatísticos SPSS for Windows e AMOS, versão 22. Foram realizadas análises descritivas e análises fatoriais exploratórias e confirmatórias. Os resultados da investigação qualitativa indicaram que o sucesso na transição universidade-trabalho pode ser descrito por uma multiplicidade de sentidos que refletem resultados de natureza subjetiva (confiança no futuro de carreira, conquista gradativa dos objetivos traçados, construção da identidade profissional, adaptação ao papel de trabalhador e satisfação com o percurso profissional) e objetiva (conseguir um trabalho na área, remuneração compatível com o mercado e com os pares, independência financeira e reconhecimento social pelo desempenho profissional). Outro resultado dessa pesquisa foi a construção e a validação da Escala de Avaliação do Sucesso na Transição Universidade-Trabalho (ESTUT). O estudo longitudinal, por sua vez, evidenciou que tanto variáveis individuais associadas à identidade, à decisão, à exploração de carreira e à autoeficácia profissional, quanto as contextuais, relacionadas às percepções do apoio social e das oportunidades do mercado de trabalho, são necessárias para predizer o sucesso nessa etapa da carreira. Porém, as variáveis individuais se mostraram mais significativas, ressaltando o papel da agência pessoal no processo de transição universidade-trabalho. De modo geral, os estudos realizados ressaltaram a inter-relação entre os aspectos objetivos/contextuais e subjetivos/individuais da carreira. As conclusões apontam para a necessidade de se adotar uma visão psicossocial e interdisciplinar para a compreensão do sucesso na transição universidade-trabalho. Implicações teóricas, práticas e para futuras pesquisas são discutidas. / University-to-work transition and career success are themes of interest among vocational psychology researchers. Nevertheless, little attention has been devoted to the study of career success at this important transition from the new graduates perspective. Aiming to fill this gap, the objective of this research was to describe and explain career success during university-to-work transition. Three studies were conducted. The first study, qualitative, sought to explore the definitions of success during university-to-work transition. In the second study, based on previous qualitative data, was developed a multifactorial instrument that assesses different indicators of university-to-work success. This measure proved to be psychometrically adequate and was used as a dependent variable in the third study, longitudinal, which investigated the determinants of career success after graduation. For each study participants were recruited by convenience methods. For the first study, qualitative, collaborated nine new graduates, organized in two focus groups. For the second study, measurement validation, was used a cross-validation procedure with two independent samples, totaling 377 college graduates. For the third study, longitudinal, 195 participants responded to the survey in two times: during the final year of college education and when they had already graduated (follow-up). Discourse analysis approach and social constructionist epistemology was used for the qualitative analyzes. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows and AMOS, version 22. Descriptive statistics and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes were performed. The results of qualitative research indicated that success in university-to-work transition could be described by a multiplicity of meanings that reflect subjective (confidence in the career future, goal progress and career plans, construction of professional identity, work adjustment, and career path satisfaction) and objective (work in the degree area and good salary, financial independence, and social recognition) career outcomes. Another contribution of this research was the development and validation of the University-to-Work Success Scale (UWSS). In addition, the longitudinal study showed that individual variables associated with career identity, career decision, career exploration and professional self-efficacy, as well as contextual variables related to perceptions of social support and labor market opportunities were necessary to explain the success at this career stage. However, the individual variables were more significant, emphasizing the role of personal agency in the university-to-work transition process. Overall, the studies highlighted the interrelationship between objective/contextual and subjective/individual aspects of a career. The findings pointed out the need to adopt a psychosocial and interdisciplinary approach to understanding university-to-work transition success. Implications for theory, research and practice are discussed

Uma das tarefas mais importantes do desenvolvimento pessoal, na adolescência e início da idade adulta, é a escolha de uma carreira. A fim de tomar uma decisão informada e autônoma, espera-se que a pessoa tenha um certo nível de maturidade. Com perspectiva desenvolvimentista, este estudo objetiva avaliar a maturidade para a escolha da carreira em adolescentes usuários de um serviço-escola de orientação profissional. Mais especificamente, este estudo visa: (a) descrever o perfil sociodemográfico dos clientes; (b) descrever o nível de maturidade; (c) verificar se o nível de maturidade varia de acordo com as características sociodemográficas (sexo, idade, escolaridade, escola pública ou privada e nível de escolaridade dos pais), com a modalidade de atendimento e a permanência no serviço de atendimento; (d) avaliar a evolução da maturidade dos usuários do serviço após a conclusão atendimento e (e) comparar o nível de maturidade dos clientes que concluíram o atendimento com o dos que não concluíram. Os dados originam-se dos registros das intervenções com 748 clientes, com idades entre 14 e 21 anos, realizadas no Serviço de Orientação Profissional de uma universidade pública no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, no período de 2001 a 2006. O corpus de análise consiste em informações dos seguintes documentos: Registro da entrevista de triagem, Resumo do atendimento e Escala de Maturidade para a Escolha Profissional (EMEP). A análise dos dados foi realizada por meio de procedimentos estatísticos: análises descritivas, testes de hipóteses, modelo linear de efeitos mistos e construção de valores percentis para a amostra. A caracterização sociodemográfica dos clientes mostra a predominância de participantes do sexo feminino (69,39%), de alunos da terceira série do Ensino Médio (55,21%) e provenientes de escolas privadas (65,64%). Do total de usuários, 74,33% concluíram o atendimento e 89,71% participaram do atendimento em grupo. Os filhos de pais que concluíram o Ensino Superior prevalecem (56,70%), seguidos por aqueles cujos pais concluíram o Ensino Médio (31,80%). A maioria dos sujeitos classificou-se com nível de maturidade abaixo de médio na escala total (62,9%) e em três subescalas: determinação (70,99%), autoconhecimento (60,03%) e conhecimento da realidade (59,89%). Houve variações apontando nível médio de maturidade para as subescalas responsabilidade (50,67%) e independência (54,95%). A comparação da maturidade antes e depois da intervenção, com 492 adolescentes, mostrou evolução com resultados estatisticamente significativos para a maturidade total e subescalas (p <0,001) na amostra total, com exceção do sexo masculino na subescala responsabilidade e dos filhos de pais sem escolaridade formal nas subescalas responsabilidade e independência. Destacam-se resultados estatisticamente significativos na evolução da maturidade total, favoráveis ao sexo feminino e aos clientes que foram atendidos na modalidade individual. Os alunos de escolas particulares destacaram-se no conhecimento da realidade e os clientes que não concluíram a intervenção destacaram-se na subescala determinação, no início do processo. Os resultados mostram que a intervenção vocacional/profissional favoreceu o desenvolvimento da maturidade para a escolha da profissão. Este estudo espera contribuir para aprofundar a compreensão sobre o construto maturidade para a escolha da carreira e para a produção do conhecimento em avaliação de resultados de intervenções no domínio da Orientação Vocacional/Profissional. / One of most important tasks for personal development, in adolescence and early adulthood, is choosing a career. In order to make an informed and autonomous decision, the person is expected to have a certain level of maturity. According to the developmental approach, this study aims at assessing the maturity for career choice with adolescents attending a career guidance service. More specifically, this study aims at: (a) describing the clients socio-demographic profile; (b) describing their maturity level; (c) verifying whether their maturity level varies with the socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, schooling level, public or private school and the parents schooling level), with type of attendance and adherence to attendance; (d) assessing the maturity progress of the service users after completing attendance; and (e) comparing maturity level of clients who had concluded attendance with that of the ones who had not concluded attendance. The data came from records of interventions with 748 clients, aged 14 to 21 years, carried out at the career guiding service of a public university in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, from 2001 to 2006. The corpus for analysis consists of information from the following documents: assessment interview, attendance record and Career Choice Maturity Scale (Escala de Maturidade para a Escolha Profissional, EMEP). Data analysis was done by statistics procedures: descriptive analysis, hypothesis tests, linear model of mixed effects, and construction of percent values for the sample. The socio-demographic characterization of clients shows the prevalence of female sex (69.39%), high school seniors (55.21%) and attending private schools (65.64%). Out of the total users, 74.33% had completed attendance and 89.71% had joined group attendance. Children of parents who had completed higher education prevail (56.70%), followed by those whose parents had finished high school (31.80 %). The maturity profile, when starting attendance, was below average (62.9%), divided into three subscales: determination (70.99%), self-knowledge (60.03%) and knowledge of reality (59.89%). There were variations for average level of maturity for the subscales responsibility (50.67%) and independence (54.95%). The comparison of maturity before and after intervention, with 492 adolescents, showed progress with statistically significant results for total maturity and subscales (p< 0.001) for the total sample, excepting the male sex in the responsibility subscale and the children of low schooling parents in the subscales responsibility and independence. Statistically significant results stand out for progress in total maturity, favoring the female sex and the clients who were attended individually. Knowledge of reality favored students from private schools before intervention. The clients who had not concluded intervention stood out in the determination subscale at the beginning of the process. The results show that career intervention favored the development of maturity for career choice. This study is expected to contribute for improving the comprehension about the construct maturity for career choice and for the production of knowledge about assessment of results of career guidance interventions.

Magister Commercii - MCom / One of the most important decisions adolescents are confronted with in the transitioning period from high school to tertiary institutions, is making career decisions. Young adults and adolescents may experience high levels of stress when they are expected to make decisions pertaining to a desired career. The stressful period may be too overwhelming for them.As a result it may have adverse implications on the quality of their career choice. The applicability of career indecision amongst undergraduate university students is considered an inability to choose a university major or occupation (Brogan & Hiebert, 2006).According to Creed, Patton and Prideaux (2006), career indecision is linked to issues related to career development and problems in making career related decisions, society’s expectations and perceptions, as well as the role of the family which may have an impact on the student’s ability to make career choices. In a study conducted by Creed and Patton (2003) it was revealed that age, gender and career indecision were predictors of career maturity knowledge. Joordan, Smithard and Burger (2009) postulate that career indecision influences career related thoughts and career decisions and plays an important role in the way individuals formulate career goals. Gordon and Meyer (2002) are of the view that it is not atypical for individuals to experience a certain level of developmental career indecision, this may be resultant to not having adequate experience and sufficient knowledge pertaining to the world of work. Developmental career indecision amongst students is viewed as a wholesome state which may ultimately prompt the student to explore careers and set goals (Feldt,2010).Brown, Brooks and Associates (1996), delineate that a career choice is an act which replicate an individual’s motivation. This action compels the individual to work toward their goals and to achieve it. As students venture on attaining their goal (career choice) they are confronted with many challenges, some of which include the transition from secondary school to tertiary level and the adaptation to an academic environment.This emphasizes the importance of career guidance, and that it should not be neglected. Stead and Watson (1999) conducted a study on first year university students in the Western Cape which revealed that students from disadvantaged schools were unable to choose study directions at tertiary level due to negligence of not providing career guidance at school level.Resultant to this, students were not afforded the opportunity to make informed decisions pertaining to career choices. Brown et al. (1996) presume the more informed an individual is about career choices and their abilities, the more likely they are to make career choices as they are more prepared to do so.The current study aimed to examine career indecision experienced by undergraduate university students at an academic institution in the Western Cape. The study examined the differences in career indecision based on gender and age, it also examined the relationship between a lack of information and career indecision and lastly access to a career counsellor and career indecision. A biographical questionnaire and the Career Decision Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) were administered to undergraduate university students. The sample (n = 224) consisted of first, second and third year male and female undergraduate commerce students. The results indicated that there are significant differences in career decision making based on gender and age. In addition, the results revealed that there is a moderate relationship between lack of information and career indecision and findings also indicated a significant relationship between access to a career counsellor and career indecision.The results of the current study should however, be interpreted with caution as a convenience sampling strategy was utilized thus limiting generalizabilty to the broader population of students. Furthermore limitations are put forth and the study concludes with recommendations for further research and for academic institutions for consideration.