Little has been written about opportunities for support staff to participate in professional development. Most of the related literature cites professional development for middle and upper management people. This study examined a particular in-service approach to professional development for support staff of the Greater Victoria School District (#61). In this approach, employees were centrally involved in suggesting topics for courses and workshops, facilitating workshops as resident experts, and engaged as participants. The purpose of the study was to: 1) understand voluntary participation; 2) examine the relationship between work-related learning and learning for personal growth and, 3) compare the cost of the in-service approach to two alternative options. The researcher gathered information from three sources: 1) a five-year database which tracked participation activities in a longitudinal quantitative study; 2) results of Boshier's Education Participation Scale (A Form) circulated to provide quantitative data of a cross-sectional study of participation and, 3) a series of interviews with twelve participants, recording their perspectives on the staff development program. A cost-effectiveness analysis was also conducted to determine the most economic approach to professional development. Some important findings of this study were the similar patterns of participation according to national figures of adult education participation in the Statistics Canada 2001 report. Examining variables of gender and frequency, a) this study found 71 percent male and 74 percent female participation in work-related courses compared to national figures of 62 percent male and 62 percent female participation in work-related adult education. And b) nationally 30 percent of adult Canadians participated in adult education compared to 26 percent of the population in this study. Evidence supported the fact that staff development participants preferred professional development topics rather than personal growth subjects. In the school calendar year, 1995/96 participants engaged in 66 percent work related courses, which evolved to 80 percent by 1999/00. The development of competent professional development programming involved more than predicting the needs of employees interested in remaining current in their job skills, or preparing for career advancement. Competent practice of professional development for support staff was positively influenced by a collaborative approach of all stakeholders; management, staff and, program facilitators. This study has implications for human resource personnel and training directors, employees, and others interested in workplace learning. It also shows that employees voluntarily suggest both professional and personal growth topics as important to their individual roles. The collaborative model studied here may be of interest and value in a variety of organizational settings, even those within a hierarchical structure. There are some promising avenues of future research which could also be explored. / Graduate

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing Johannesburg, 2014 / Career guidance teachers have an important role to play in the career choices of high school learners by presenting them with information on different careers so that informed decisions can be made. It follows that the amount and quality of information that such teachers have and their views or perceptions of a career may have either a positive or negative influence on learners’ choices, in this instance, nursing as a career choice. High school learners’ declining interest in nursing as a career of choice has led to questions about career guidance teachers’ knowledge regarding nursing as a career, the attributes and contemporary roles of nurses and to what extent they suggest nursing to enquiring learners. If career guidance teachers’ perceptions about nursing influence recruitment into the profession, then it is important to determine what these perceptions are and what role they play in suggesting or not suggesting nursing as a career to high school learners. The purpose of the study was to determine the perceptions of career guidance or Life Orientation (LO) teachers in influencing high school learners’ choosing or not choosing nursing as a career. The study was delimited to Life Orientation teachers of three Johannesburg districts in Gauteng. The study objectives were to determine the frequency and source of requests for nursing information directed to career guidance teachers; to explore what career guidance teachers believe are important attributes of nurses; to determine the type of student in respect of personality and academic attributes that career guidance teachers would typically refer to a nursing programme, and to determine career guidance teachers’ perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of nurses currently and in the future. Data were collected in 2011 from September to December. The results showed that Life Orientation (LO) teachers in Gauteng do not receive a high number of requests about nursing from neither learners nor parents; just over 40% receive between one to five learner requests per year. A few teachers have suggested nursing to approximately 20 learners in the past five years; experienced teachers are more likely than inexperienced ones (p=0.0139) to suggest nursing as a career; LO teachers’ age and gender have no influence on them suggesting nursing as a career. Having studied the subject Life Sciences is the most important academic variable for referral to study nursing; learners who are caring and who enjoy working with people are considered suitable for nursing; these are also ranted as the most important personality attributes, followed by being hardworking/diligent and loving. Most LO teachers (63.0%) in this study were aware that nurses’ roles have changed over time but were not knowledgeable about the extent of role change and what the roles and responsibilities of contemporary nurses are.

The current research study is based on a model proposed by job design theorists, Fried, Grant, Levi, Hadani and Slowik (2007). This proposal is valuable in the organisational psychology research as it is the first to evaluate and incorporate career dynamics into the conceptualisation of the job design premise. As their argument, Fried et al. (2007) suggest that employees’ attitudinal reactions that result from the stimulation (or lack thereof) obtained from the design of their jobs is influenced by their career dynamics. More specifically, Fried et al. (2007) infer that career dynamics would moderate the relationship, whereby employees would be more likely to respond favourably to a lack of stimulation when they perceive themselves in the early stages of their careers; or when they perceive their jobs as enabling career advancement. The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the hypotheses suggested by Fried et al. (2007); and therefore conduct an investigation that evaluates job design from a career dynamics perspective. Ninety five employees from sister accounting firms in Johannesburg and Cape Town formed the sample utilised in the study by volunteering to complete the self-report measures that were administered. The measures that are used in this study encompass the job diagnostic survey, an occupational tenure questionnaire, the expected utility of present job scale and the affective well-being scale. A biographic inventory was also administered in order to comprehend the demographic characteristics of the sample. The research hypotheses were evaluated using moderated multiple regression statistics. Insufficient evidence was found to conclude any moderating effects of career dynamics on the relationship between the stimulation derived from the job and the attitudinal reaction of affective well-being. Following the exploration of the research study and the interpretation of the findings, limitations of the study, directions for future research and practical implications are addressed.

Thesis advisor: Janet E. Helms / Research regarding the career exploration process for adults with reading disabilities and ADHD who participate in Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs is limited. Due to a lack of career development resources in ABE programs, adults with reading disabilities and ADHD do not always have the opportunity to engage in career exploration activities that might help them make satisfying career decisions. In career development theory, self-determination is the capacity to identify personal goals and is considered crucial to overcoming barriers and making meaningful career choices. In the present study, a model was proposed and tested that examined self-determination as a mediator of the hypothesized relationships between perceived career and educational barriers and career development outcomes. Adults with reading disabilities and ADHD from ABE programs (N = 83) completed a demographic questionnaire and screening measures intended to classify them according to type of disability (i.e., reading, ADHD, and combined reading and ADHD). They also completed measures of perceived educational and career barriers, components of self-determination, and career self-efficacy. Multivariate multiple regression analyses were used to investigate hypotheses derived from the proposed model. The results revealed that experiences of perceived educational barriers, but not career barriers, were related to low levels of career decision-making self-efficacy and self-determination; the competence component of self-determination was associated with higher levels of career decision-making self-efficacy. Overall, the results suggested that self-determination partially mediated the relationship between perceived educational barriers and career decision-making self-efficacy. The findings indicate that, for ABE adults with reading disabilities and ADHD, having a sense of one’s own expertise is important for overcoming barriers and feeling confident in making career decisions. Discussions included methodological limitations and implications for practice and research. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Thesis advisor: Maureen E. Kenny / Hope theory (Snyder et al., 1991) is a cognitive framework for understanding how individuals plan and stay motivated to achieve their goals. Research suggests that high levels of hope among adolescents are associated with academic achievement and markers of career exploration (Day, Hanson, Maltby, Proctor, & Wood, 2010; Kenny, Walsh-Blair, Blustein, Bempechat, & Seltzer, 2010). However, some scholars have raised criticisms about the conceptual underpinnings of hope and its applicability to the lives of marginalized groups (Tong, Fredrickson, Weining, & Zi, 2010; Riele, 2010). Despite these criticisms, hope theory has been used to study academic achievement among students of color (Chang & Banks, 2007; Roesch, Duangado, Vaughn, Aldridge, and Vilodas, 2010). Existing studies have most often utilized quantitative frameworks that have provided limited insight into how hope is experienced in the daily lives of low income students of color and how it may embody their relational, social, and cultural contexts. A qualitative framework is well suited for addressing these shortcomings. The current study employed a phenomenological methodology to explore how low income students of color defined hope and experienced it in their daily lives. Twenty one students enrolled in a work-based learning program at an urban Catholic high school were interviewed individually and participated in a group written activity on hope in their communities. The results of the study showed that goal pursuit was embedded within a relational context where participants embodied the opportunities and barriers experienced in their families, schools, and communities. The participants defined hope in ways that surpassed existing theory and elucidated the dynamic and sometimes contradictory role of the social context. These findings provide avenues for intervention in the lives of marginalized youth that frame discussions of WBL programs within a larger social context where relational processes are vital for student success. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2014. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.

Career development interventions have been lacking within disadvantaged contexts in South Africa. This is attributed to the country’s political history under the apartheid system. The predominant career interventions have been standardised on the English and Afrikaans populations, which are not necessarily applicable to the black population, a previously disadvantaged population. This study explored learners’ perceptions of career development interventions, career challenges and career needs within their contexts by using a career intervention vehicle, subject-career information guide titled, “A Guide for Schools into Higher Education”. The study was qualitative in nature and it conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 learners from a school within the disadvantaged context. The research interviews were analysed using the thematic content analysis. The findings of the study revealed that these learners had fairly different experiences of career guidance interventions within their contexts. The study indicated that the main career challenges faced by the learners were mainly externally based within their context. Thus, they needed career intervention resources to address the challenges. The findings of the study indicated that learners have benefited from A Guide for Schools into Higher Education as an intervention resource within their context. The study subsequently recommended that frequent career interventions be more available within schools and people perceived as role models within such contexts would need to be mobilized as career influencers. Furthermore it was recommended that learners within disadvantaged contexts would need to be taught skills towards the building of internal factors to facilitate them to own their career development.

Kwan Ho Kwong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-195). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; questionnaires in Chinese. / TITLE PAGE --- p.I / ABSTRACT --- p.II / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.V / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.VII / LISE OF TABLES AND FIGURES --- p.X / CHAPTERS / Chapter 1. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 2. --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.10 / Chapter 2.1 --- Extra-role Behavior --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2 --- Different Conceptualizations of Extra-role Behaviors --- p.12 / Chapter 2.3 --- Organizational Citizenship Behavior --- p.16 / Chapter 2.4 --- Social Exchange Theory and OCB --- p.35 / Chapter 2.5 --- Resource Theory --- p.40 / Chapter 2.6 --- Career Growth Opportunities --- p.53 / Chapter 2.7 --- Contingency Theory --- p.60 / Chapter 2.8 --- Peer Competition --- p.65 / Chapter 2.9 --- Task Interdependence --- p.67 / Chapter 3. --- CHAPTER THREE: CONCEPTUAL MODEL AND HYPOTHESES --- p.72 / Chapter 3.1 --- Conceptual Model --- p.72 / Chapter 3.2 --- OCB and Resources --- p.74 / Chapter 3.3 --- OCB and Services --- p.77 / Chapter 3.4 --- OCB and Love --- p.78 / Chapter 3.5 --- OCB and Status --- p.80 / Chapter 3.6 --- OCB and Information --- p.82 / Chapter 3.7 --- Interaction Effects with Peer Competition and Task Interdependence --- p.84 / Chapter 3.8 --- "Exchanged Resources (Services, Love, Status, Information) and Career Growth Opportunities" --- p.94 / Chapter 4. --- RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY --- p.101 / Chapter 4.1 --- Samples and Data Collection --- p.101 / Chapter 4.2 --- Measures --- p.104 / Chapter 5. --- RESULTS --- p.110 / Chapter 5.1 --- Descriptive Statistics --- p.110 / Chapter 5.2 --- Confirmatory Factor Analysis --- p.115 / Chapter 5.3 --- Regression Results --- p.125 / Chapter 6. --- DISCUSSION --- p.153 / Chapter 6.1 --- Effects of OCB on Resources --- p.153 / Chapter 6.2 --- Interaction Effects of Peer Competition and Task Interdependence on the Relationship between OCB and Resources --- p.157 / Chapter 6.3 --- Interaction Effects of Task Interdependence on the Relationship between Conscientiousness and Love Resource --- p.158 / Chapter 6.4 --- Effects of Resources --- p.160 / Chapter 6.5 --- Different Perceptions of Career Growth Opportunities --- p.160 / Chapter 6.6 --- Effects of OCB on Career Growth Opportunities --- p.161 / Chapter 6.7 --- Theoretical Contributions --- p.162 / Chapter 6.8 --- Practical Implications --- p.165 / Chapter 6.9 --- Limitations --- p.166 / Chapter 6.10 --- Conclusion --- p.169 / REFERENCES --- p.170 / APPENDIX A Questionnaire Rated by Self --- p.195 / APPENDIX B Questionnaire Rated by Supervisor --- p.201

Whilst it is recognised that the organisational career is still prevalent within today's career landscape, there is a lack of research exploring the career capital needed to ease intra-organisational transitions. This thesis reviews this gap and explores the career capital required by business leaders to facilitate their own voluntary, sideward or upward macro work role transitions. The research questions include: 1. What aspects of career capital facilitate such role transitions? 2. How and to what extent are these role moves supported by career capital? 3. What barriers inhibit such role transitions? 4. What are the implications for business leaders and organisations of these role transition experiences? Drawing upon an interpretivist research approach, with a social constructionist stance and using event-based narrative interviews, this study explores the experiences of 36 business leaders who have undertaken a role transition within a UK business within the previous three years. This case organisation operates within the construction sector and is part of an international establishment. This research study enhances our appreciation of career capital; it offers unique contributions to knowledge from theoretical, empirical and practice perspectives. By developing a new career capital theoretical framework, our understanding of the career capital aspects that ease organisational role transitions is deepened. Such findings reaffirm the relevance of context and emphasise the importance of the Bourdieusian notion of the field and symbolic capital. Moreover, the insights offered by this research study recognise the relevance of Bourdieu's capital convertibility within the context of career capital. Furthermore, this research study identifies new characteristics, including where career capital can: act as a barrier, overcome barriers, be eroded, be influenced by the role holder's levels of personal agency and organisational attachment, and connect together to increase impact. Conclusively, this research study confirms the relevance of career capital within transition management. Additionally, given the importance of transitions within career theories, career capital is an important concept for the career management field as a whole.

The study is centered on the current ineffectiveness of career development planning within MTN SA.

This thesis considers career turning points in the lives of four women who work in educational guidance. I am one of these women. As a practising Career Guidance Counsellor, I have seen people struggle to make career-related decisions, yet in their pasts they seemingly made autonomous decisions with little thought other than it seemed right at the time. My own understanding of decision making, influenced by my cultural heritage, appeared to be informed by intuitive responses and chance occurrences. I wanted to explore if others had similar experiences, to satisfy a personal curiosity and a professional desire to see if creative practices could capture the emotion and experience of past career turning points. Perhaps they can draw upon the knowledge gained in times of uncertainty to aid future decision-making. The study is also the story of my doctoral voyage and utilising an autoethnographic approach, enabled me to position myself in the work. Autoethnography, is both method and methodology, exploring the writer's experience of life. The tensions between the distinct roles of researcher, participant and observer of both, were explored. I wrote my story and initial, loosely-structured interviews captured the life-career stories of the other participants. Following the first interview, they were given time and space to create artefacts of their own choosing. Second interviews used questions, but allowed for the natural voicing of thoughts to maintain the informality of casual conversation. All interviews were personally transcribed and shared with co-participants to ensure transparency and accuracy. Transcriptions were utilised to create case studies and my narrative of each interview was also recorded in a personal journal. As such, there was a layering to each experience, different 'truths' of the same event. Creativity flowed through this work in the form of poetic text, imaginative prose, journal excerpts and a fictionalised chapter. The aim was to provide genuineness and trustworthiness as verification. Adopting a holistic approach to analysis enabled thoughts to emerge prior to, during and after interactions. A proforma (Merrill and West, 2009) provided the vehicle to capture the process and emerging themes. Additionally, writing on the transcripts in coloured ink, added a playful quality to investigations. Writing as inquiry (Richardson, 2000, 2008), encouraged an openness to analysis as I displayed both the writing process and product. In addition to Richardson, my theoretical framework was supported by the work of Jarvis (2006), and his notion of 'disjuncture', when something happens which makes us stop and reconsider our positioning in the world, was illuminating. Rogers' (1961, 1980) inclusive consideration of the whole person, rather than a separation of the various characteristics of a life, has informed my practice to accept that occupation is but one life role. A person can have many roles which can influence a life-career. Throughout the work I have attempted to use rich textual descriptions to show rather than tell the narrative. This is pertinent to evocative autoethnography as extolled by Ellis (2004) and in doing so, I hoped to draw others into the text. Kahneman's (2011) discussions on rational and intuitive thinking and Krumboltz and Levin's (2004) understanding of happenstance or chance, have also been a main consideration in this work. Such experiences can be reflected on as we construct our working stories (Savickas, 2011). These theoretical 'friends' and others, made me review my positioning in the study and as a result, I gained new knowledge about myself and my place in the world. I have discovered that creative practices appeared to help participants to learn something about themselves; they gained personal insight by engaging with deep reflective and reflexive processes. Knowledge which could be used to inform their future career decision-making when they are feeling uncertain. As such, creative practices could help individuals think again, with a new perspective.