Thesis advisor: Joanna Venator / This paper explores the impact of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs on wage outcomes in the U.S. labor market, particularly against a backdrop of shifting economic conditions and workforce needs. The study delves into how various CTE programs, specifically state-approved programs with stringent standards and federally- approved programs with more flexible requirements, shape the wage trajectories of high school students. The analysis is structured in two main phases: the first phase involves a detailed mapping of CTE courses to real-world occupations as categorized by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), highlighting the alignment -- or lack thereof -- between educational offerings and labor market demands. The second phase employs an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression with fixed effects to analyze the influence of CTE program participation on wage outcomes across different industry sectors and counties. This approach allows for a nuanced examination of how local industry definitions affect the perceived effectiveness of CTE programs and underscores the complex trade-offs involved in prioritizing vocational training for immediate employment versus broader educational and career advancement opportunities. The findings reveal significant variability in the impact of CTE programs on wages, influenced by the specificity of job sectors and the breadth of skills taught, with implications for policy decisions aimed at enhancing the role of vocational education in fostering economic mobility. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2024. / Submitted to: Boston College. Morrissey School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics. / Discipline: Departmental Honors.

Virtually all government and industry information and control systems rely upon computer professionals for systems development and maintenance. With the national workforce growing at only one percent annually and enrollments in computer and information sciences college programs declining, the need exists to obtain a continued contribution of good work from our existing workforce. A multiple-phase, multiple-case study research project was performed to develop an understanding of how technical currency is maintained, not as a discrete phenomenon, but within the setting of the work environment, considering project experiences, organizational relationships, professional preparation and continuing professional education, and individual motivation. Previous research indicated that project experiences contributed to, or provided a vehicle for, maintaining technical currency. Maintaining technical currency was found to require a continuous process involving organizational relationships, the individual's perceived value in the organization, constant assessments and evaluations of current and desired project involvement or position attainment, repeated and varied learning episodes, and actual project experiences. Individuals were motivated to take specific actions, such as participating in training courses, when such action was expected to yield a benefit. Project experiences alone were not sufficient to maintain technical currency, although they were an essential element. While formal education in preparation for a career was critical, formal courses did not contribute as significantly as other forms of continuing professional education to maintaining technical currency. A Technical Currency Model was generated that explains how individuals expend energy in one or more of five focus areas depending on their motivation at the time: (a) technical qualification for a project or position; (b) political qualification for a project or position; (c) performing on a project or in a position; (d) determining that change is appropriate; and (e) seeking the next project or position. / Ph. D.

Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the 'intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education' (Dewey, 1938, p. 19-20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) and co-curricular experiences, one type of experiential learning, underpin and cultivate student curiosity and often channel interests into STEM-related post-secondary disciplines and career choices. There is little existent research on the characteristics of exemplary experiential learning opportunities and the impact on stakeholders. This study is intended to identify the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary secondary experience through the lived experiences of the stakeholders; students, STEM-related teachers, and CTE/STEM Administrators. A qualitative research design was used to examine characteristics and implications for students of four STEM-related programs throughout Virginia. Conclusions from the study include fundamental principles for providing exemplary experiential STEM-related learning opportunities. These principles include: providing hands-on, real world learning opportunities for students, providing learning opportunities that will enhance student ownership in their learning, providing unique and comprehensive career exploration opportunities for students, providing a schedule for teachers that will give them time to plan, deliver, and manage exemplary experiential learning opportunities, providing continual teacher and administrator in-service training relative to planning and implementing exemplary experiential learning opportunities, investing appropriate funds for providing exemplary experiential learning opportunities. Establishing and maintaining active partnerships with business/industry and colleges/universities, and maintaining active advisory communities, providing appropriate staff to support the provision of exemplary experiential learning opportunities is needed. The need for adequate funding, improving perception of CTE and STEM programs, and small class sizes was also recommended. / Ph. D. / Experiential opportunities at the secondary level give students the “intimate and necessary relation between the processes of actual experience and education” (Dewey, 1938, p. 19- 20). Career and Technical Education classes (CTE) underpin and cultivate student curiosity and often channel interests into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-related college and career choices. There is little existent research on the characteristics of exemplary experiential learning opportunities and the impact on stakeholders. This study is intended to identify the qualities and characteristics of an exemplary secondary experience through the lived experiences of students, STEM-related teachers, and CTE/STEM Administrators. A qualitative research design was used to examine characteristics and implications for students of four STEM-related programs throughout Virginia. Conclusions from the study include fundamental principles for providing exemplary experiential STEM-related learning opportunities. These principles include: providing hands-on, real world learning opportunities for students, providing learning opportunities that will enhance student ownership in their learning, providing unique and comprehensive career exploration opportunities for students, providing a schedule for teachers that will give them time to plan, deliver, and manage <i>exemplary experiential</i> learning opportunities, providing continual teacher and administrator in-service training relative to planning and implementing exemplary experiential learning opportunities, investing appropriate funds for providing <i>exemplary experiential</i> learning opportunities. Establishing and maintaining active partnerships with business/industry and colleges/universities, and maintaining active advisory communities, providing appropriate staff to support the provision of <i>exemplary experiential</i> learning opportunities is needed. The need for adequate funding, improving perception of CTE and STEM programs, and small class sizes was also recommended.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In terms of the latest education legislation, there is a shift of emphasis in the approach to teaching. In particular, there is a move from contents-based learning to outcomes-based learning. It has been shown that technical education is becoming more and more expensive. Manual skills and the teaching of these at school is therefore still of cardinal importance. In the technical school the learner receives specialised training. Following the successful completion of the Senior Certificate examinations, the learner receives a matric certificate. This certificate does not give an indication of specific skills, however. If the learner could receive some accreditation for the skills which he/she has already mastered, it would count in his/her favour. The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree to which the learner can transfer his/her acquired technical knowledge and skills to other training institutions or employers in the form of credits. In the first chapter, the historical background of an outcomes-based learning approach in South Africa, as well as the implications of legislation for technical high schools is researched. A number of necessary concepts are also explained in this chapter. In chapter two, the structure of a modular approach in technical education is looked at in more detail. Different types of modules, the advantages and disadvantages of a modular system, as well as different models for modular curriculum design is discussed. The already tested competence-based modular approach, as well as the newly proposed outcomes-based learning approach is discussed in detail in chapter three. Since it is the competence-based modular approach which is largely used in technical education, it is important to investiqate the shift to an outcomesbased approach in technical education. In the fourth chapter, specific modular points of intersection between the training of apprentices and secondary school education are looked at. The feasibility of acquiring credits in the technical high school is discussed on the basis of an empirical study in chapter five. The possible applications of the implementation of an outcomes-based learning approach in technical high schools are set out in chapter six and the findings of this research are summarised in chapter seven. The subject of this research is currently very topical and if the findings contained therein are applied in practice, many of the modern challenges faced by the education system could be addressed. Learners should receive education and training which prepare them practically for their roles as citizens, while also enabling them to enter the job market or create work for themselves. The importance of an education system which continually determines the needs of both the national and international markets, investigates technological and other relevant tendencies and develops current curriculums in such a way that learners will always be competitive cannot be emphasised enough. An outcomes-based approach places much less emphasis on content-based syllabuses and merely exposes learners to balanced learning programmes in which the acquisition of relevant knowledge, skills, attitudes and values carries equal weight. Because of the changes in education and training, the teaching approach in the technical high school is extremely important. To some degree, technical education is already specialised education. Although learning takes place at school, the acquired knowledge is not currently transferable to other training institutions in the form of credits. This situation is contradictory to the National Qualifications Framework, in which an outcomes-based approach to education is proposed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Volgens die nuutste onderwyswetgewing is daar in die onderwys 'n klemverskuiwing ten opsigte van onderrigbenadering. Daar word vanaf 'n inhoudsgerigte na 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering beweeg. Afdoende bewyse bestaan dat tegniese opleiding al hoe duurder raak. Die noodsaaklikheid van die ontwikkeling van handvaardighede daarin op skool is daarom steeds van kardinale belang. In die tegniese skoolontvang die leerder bepaalde gespesialiseerde opleiding. Na die suksesvolle aflegging van die Senior Sertifikaateksamen, ontvang die leerder 'n matrieksertifikaat. Hierdie sertifikaat dui egter nie spesifieke bevoegdhede aan nie. Indien die leerder krediet sou kon ontvang vir die bevoegdhede wat hy/sy reeds suksesvol bemeester het, sou dit in sy/haar guns tel. Die doel van hierdie studie is 'n ondersoek na die mate waarin die leerder sy/haar verworwe tegniese kennis en vaardighede na ander opleidingsinstansies of werkverskaffers kan oordra in die vorm van krediete. In die eerste hoofstuk word die historiese agtergrond van 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering in Suid-Afrika nagevors, asook die implikasies van wetgewing vir tegniese hoërskole nagegaan. Bepaalde tersaaklike begrippe word ook in hierdie hoofstuk verduidelik. In hoofstuk twee word die struktuur van 'n modulêre benadering binne tegniese onderwys van nader beskou. Verskillende soorte modules, die voor- en nadele van 'n modulêre stelsel, asook verskeie modelle vir 'n modulêre kurrikulumontwerp, word bespreek. Die reeds beproefde bevoegdheidsgebaseerde modulêre benadering asook die nuutvoorgestelde uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering, word breedvoerig in hoofstuk drie bespreek. Aangesien hoofsaaklik die bevoegdheidsgebaseerde modulêre benadering in tegniese onderwys toegepas word, is dit belangrik om die noodsaaklikheid van 'n klemverskuiwing na 'n uitkomsgebaseerde benadering in tegniese onderwys te ondersoek. In die vierde hoofstuk word daar spesifiek gekyk na bepaalde modulêre raakpunte tussen vakleerlingopleiding en sekondêreskoolopleiding. Die haalbaarheid van kredietverwerwing in die tegniese hoërskool word in hoofstuk vyf na aanleiding van 'n empiriese ondersoek bespreek. Die toepassingsmoontlikhede vir die implementering van 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderrigbenadering in die tegniese hoërskool word daarna in hoofstuk ses uiteengesit en die bevindinge van die navorsing in hoofstuk sewe saamgevat. Die onderwerp van hierdie navorsing is tans baie aktueel en indien die bevindinge daarin vervat in die praktyk toegepas sou word, sal heelwat van die moderne uitdagings wat aan die onderwys gestel word, aangespreek word. Leerders behoort onderwys en opleiding te ontvang wat hulle prakties op hul rolle as landsburgers voorberei en hulle ook bekwaam maak om tot die arbeidsmark toe te tree of vir hulleself werk te skep. Die belangrikheid van 'n onderrigstelsel wat voortdurend behoeftes in nasionale en internasionale markte bepaal, tegnologiese en ander relevante tendense naspeur en huidige kurrikulums só ontwikkel dat leerders altyd kompeterend is, kan nie genoeg beklemtoon word nie. 'n Uitkomsgebaseerde benadering plaas minder klem op inhoudsgebaseerde sillabusse en stel leerders bloot aan gebalanseerde leerprogramme waarin die verwerwing van relevante kennis, vaardighede, houdings en waardes ewe veel gewig dra. As gevolg van die klemverskuiwings in onderwys en opleiding is die leerbenadering wat in die tegniese hoërskool gevolg word van kardinale belang. Tegniese onderrig is in 'n sekere mate reeds gespesialiseerde onderrig. Alhoewel leer op skool plaasgevind het, is die verworwe kennis tans nie oordraagbaar na ander opleidingsinstansies in die vorm van krediete vir die leerders nie. Hierdie situasie is in stryd met die bedoeling van die Nasionale Kwalifikasieraamwerk wat 'n uitkomsgebaseerde onderwysbenadering voorstaan

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

A presente pesquisa, de tipo qualitativo e exploratório, é um estudo de caso que enfoca a integração do saber e do fazer na formação do técnico de nível médio na Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo nas décadas de 1970 e 1980. Esse tema tem como referencial a integração do saber pensar e do saber fazer e, portanto, a formação integral do ser humano - sua omnilateralidade - tendo o trabalho como princípio educativo, inclusive o trabalho escolar. Dessa forma, o estudo teve que se estender até a década atual, ano de 2007, uma vez que o ensino integrado na referida instituição perdurou de 1965 até 1999, quando a Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo transformou-se em Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de São Paulo - CEFET-SP. Ocorre que o Decreto n.º 2.208/97 do presidente Fernando Henrique Cardoso proibiu o curso técnico integrado ao médio e o presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva permitiu a volta dessa integração com o Decreto n.º 5.154/04. Com isso, tendo-se como parâmetro a importância do curso médio integrado, ou seja, cursos técnicos compostos por disciplinas propedêuticas aliadas às disciplinas técnicas, a pesquisa foi estendida até os dias atuais. Procurou-se entender a conjuntura em que foi criada a Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo, isto é, o Estado de Segurança Nacional, o Projeto Brasil-Potência e o \"milagre econômico brasileiro\", numa relação quase direta com a demanda de técnicos para as multinacionais, cuja tecnologia moderna e padrão produtivo taylorista/fordista do capital demandavam técnicos para comporem, juntamente com os engenheiros, a \"gerência científica\". Foi destacada a Lei n.º 5.692/71 e sua profissionalização compulsória, valorizando os cursos técnicos de forma exagerada. Foram analisadas as causas da excelência da Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo, o papel da classe média ocupando espaços públicos até profissionalizantes para sua ascensão social, a importância da função do técnico nas décadas de 1970/1980 e atualmente, assim como a função do técnico e do tecnólogo no padrão produtivo atual toyotista/taylorizado do capital. A investigação embasou-se, além de muitos documentos secundários, em várias entrevistas com engenheiros e técnicos de empresas particulares, com professores e funcionários administrativos do CEFET-SP, com alunos e exalunos do CEFET-SP e da Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo, em depoimentos de professores e ex-professores, familiares de ex-professores, além de documentos primários da Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo, como Livros de Registro de Matrículas, Registro de Diplomas e Relatórios de Gestão do Diretor de 2005 e 2006. A pesquisa resultou em opiniões muito favoráveis ao retorno do curso médio integrado, pela qualidade de ensino que oferece aos alunos, apontando, ainda, que a função do técnico de nível médio é ainda muito importante para as empresas e, se seu cargo como intermediário entre projeto e execução é desvalorizado, isso ocorre devido ao salário baixo, concorrência com estagiários, engenheiros e cursos concomitantes ou seqüenciais de qualidade inferior com a vigência do Decreto n.º 2.208/97. Vale registrar que o CEFET-SP é um dos últimos CEFETs do país que ainda não integrou o curso médio ao técnico. / This qualitative and exploratory research is a case study focusing on the integration between knowing and doing in the education of high school technicians at \"Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo\" (Federal Technical School in São Paulo) in the 1970\'s and 1980\'s. The reference for this subject is the integration between knowing how to think and knowing how to do and, so, the integral education of the human being - his omnilaterality - considering work as the educational principle, including school work. Therefore, the study had to be brought as far as to the present decade, up to the year 2007, as the integrated education at such institution lasted from 1965 to 1999, when \"Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo\" became \"Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de São Paulo\" (Federal Center of Technological Education in São Paulo) - CEFET-SP. According to Decree no. 2.208/97 by President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, the technical course and high school integration was forbidden, but President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva allowed such integration by Decree no. 5.154/04. Thus, taking as a guideline the importance of the integrated high school course, that is, of the technical courses composed of propaedeutical subjects combined with technical subjects, this research was extended up to the present date. The circumstances under which \"Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo\" was created were analyzed, such as the National Security State, the \"Projeto Brasil-Potência\" (Brazil-Potency Project) and the \"Brazilian economic miracle\", in an almost direct relationship with the demand for technicians in multinational companies, which modern technology and taylorist/fordist production pattern of the capital required technicians to constitute the \"scientific management\" together with engineers. Law no. 5.692/71 and its compulsory professionalization were pointed out, under which the technological courses were exaggeratedly regarded. The causes for the excellence of \"Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo\" were examined, as well as the role of the middle class occupying public and professionalizing positions for its social ascension, the importance of technicians in the 1970\'s and 1980\'s and nowadays, besides the role of technicians and technologists in the present toyotist/taylorized production pattern of the capital. Besides being based on several side documents, the research was based on many interviews with engineers and technicians from private companies, with CEFET-SP teachers and employees and with students and alumni from CEFET-SP and \"Escola Técnica Federal de São Paulo\"; also on testimonies by teachers and former teachers, former teachers\' relatives, as well as on primary documents from the school, such as Enrollment and Diploma Registration Books and the Principal\'s Management Reports dated 2005-2006. The research resulted in very favorable opinions for the return of the integrated high school course, due to the quality of education offered to the students; it also pointed out that the role of the high school level technician is still of high importance to the companies and, if his linking job between project and execution is underestimated, it is due to low salaries, competition with trainees and engineers and concomitant or sequential courses of poorer quality after Decree no. 2.208/97 became effective. It is worth noticing that CEFET-SP is one of the last CEFETs around the country which has not integrated the high school level course to the technical course yet.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether statistically significant differences existed between high school Honors Physics websites and those of Advanced Placement (AP) Physics in terms of web-design, National Science Education Standards (NSES) Physics content, and NSES Science Process standards. The procedure began with the selection of 152 sites comprising two groups with equal sample sizes of 76 for Honors Physics and for Advanced Placement Physics. The websites used in the study were accumulated using the Google[TM] search engine. To find Honors Physics websites, the search words "honors physics high school" were entered as the query into the search engine. To find sites for Advanced Placement Physics, the query, "advanced placement physics high school," was entered into the search engine. The evaluation of each website was performed using an instrument developed by the researcher based on three attributes: Web-design, NSES Physics content, and NSES Science Process standards. A "1" was scored if the website was found to have each attribute, otherwise a "0" was given. This process continued until all 76 websites were evaluated for each of the two types of physics websites, Honors and Advanced Placement. Subsequently the data were processed using Excel functions and the SPSS statistical software program. The mean and standard deviation were computed individually for the three attributes under consideration. Three, 2-tailed, independent samples t tests were performed to compare the two groups of physics websites separately on the basis of Web Design, Physics Content, and Science Process. The results of the study indicated that there was only one statistically significant difference between high school Honors Physics websites and those of AP Physics. / The only difference detected was in terms of National Science Education Standards Physics content. It was found that Advanced Placement Physics websites contained more NSES physics content than Honors Physics websites. There was no significant difference found between the two types of high school physics websites in regards to web-design, and NSES science process standards. It is hoped that the results of this study may serve as a guide for researchers to explore the role of Web-Assisted Instruction (WAI) as an enhancement to traditional instruction in physics. With the first generation to grow up in the digital age now in high school, WAI may prove to be useful as method to improve critical thinking skills and provide opportunities for inquiry beyond the classroom. / by Ronald C. Persin. / Vita. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2009. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2009. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Self-concept, discussed as a scholarly topic since the time of Socrates and Plato, is an important theoretical construct in education because self-concept is considered to be a desirable trait and a facilitator of positive future behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the characteristics of students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) programs and students' self-concept scores as measured by specific subscales from the Self-Description Questionnaire (SDQ). A total of 196 male and 89 female secondary students (Grades 9-12) enrolled in arts, audio/video technology and communications cluster courses in North Central Texas school districts participated in the study. Student characteristic variables of interest were age, gender, CTE program enrollment, and participation in CTE. The self-concept subscales analyzed were General, Academic, Verbal, Math, and Problem Solving. A canonical correlation analysis was conducted using the four student characteristic variables as predictors of the five self-concept variables to evaluate the multivariate shared relationship between the two variable sets. The full model across all functions explained about 23% of the variance between the variable sets. Function 1 explained 15% of the shared variance and Function 2 explained 7% of the variance that remained. This study detected a relationship between specific student characteristics and self-concept as measured on certain domain-specific first-order factors. Gender and participation in CTE were found to be related to verbal self-concept and problem-solving self-concept. Results suggest that females in arts-based CTE programs have a higher verbal self-concept than their male counterparts; male students have a higher problem-solving self-concept. Results further suggest that students with a high level of participation in CTE also have high verbal and problem-solving self-concepts.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-10-31T12:22:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Thais Antonia Pires Salla Trevisan.pdf: 2564623 bytes, checksum: 044f686a02087efd81e3e654ecf54fed (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-31T12:22:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Thais Antonia Pires Salla Trevisan.pdf: 2564623 bytes, checksum: 044f686a02087efd81e3e654ecf54fed (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-10-20 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The Vocational Technical Education is at the intersection point of two fundamental Brazilian rights: the Educational right and the Work right. A dynamic and autonomous character formation is attributed to Vocacional Technical Education, which may follow the all-time speed changes of the work around world. Furthermore, it is special modality of education that has been listed on political promises, and on television advertisements. Vocational Technical Education depicts an important goal in the National Plan of Education and keeps up with High School Reform Proposals. Target young people, from 18 to 24 years old, those are studing technical courses in the Health and Wellness field, this paper seeks to identify elements that point out the reasons and the expectations for the course choice. The research locus was a SENAC-SP´s school, in Jundiaí City. That time, eight students, equally divided among the following technical courses: Nursing, Aesthetics, Massotherapy and Podology were interviewed. As a research tool, we used the semi-structured interview, from which we seek to got the students' impressions about the proposed theme, valuing their qualitative issues. The interviews gave us the resources to study the material produced from the Content Analysis, a research tool that allowed us for the construction of three Analysis Categories: Reasons for the choice, Surprises on the way and The student project is held in the project. Life. In the first category, the possibility of nursering, as well as the pround of the Vocational Technical Education, and the pround of Health and Welness work fiels, were reasons to the course choice. For the last category, a form of Family gratitude is one of the expectations that the subjects reported to aim at the end of the course. And, an “at the middle” category, "between reasons and expectations" was constructed to express the students´surprises during the courses. The relations of constitution of the professional identity, allow us to more broadly access Vocational Technical Education porposes in the mission for the Citizens formation / A Educação Profissional Técnica de Nível Médio (EPTNM), está no ponto de intersecção de dois diretos fundamentais do cidadão brasileiro, o direto à Educação e o direito ao Trabalho. Atribui-se a ela, uma formação de caráter dinâmico e autônomo, a qual é capaz de acompanhar as constantes e velozes alterações do mundo do trabalho. Além disso, é uma modalidade de educação que tem figurado promessas políticas e propagandas televisivas, representa uma importante meta no Plano Nacional de Educação do país e acompanha as modificações propostas pela atual Reforma do Ensino Médio. Neste estudo, buscamos identificar elementos que apontem as razões e as expectativas da escolha pela EPTNM por jovens de 18 a 24 anos, especificamente, na área de Saúde e Bem-estar. Tendo como locus a unidade escolar da cidade de Jundiaí, pertencente a rede do SENAC SP, foram entrevistados oito alunos, igualmente divididos entre os seguintes cursos Técnicos: Enfermagem, Estética, Massoterapia e Podologia. Como ferramenta utilizamos a entrevista semiestruturada, a partir da qual buscamos reunir as impressões dos alunos sobre o tema proposto, valorizando seus critérios qualitativos. As entrevistas nos deram recursos para que estudássemos o material produzido a partir da Análise de Conteúdo, procedimento que nos permitiu construir três categorias de análise, a saber: Razões para a escolha, Surpresas no caminho da formação e Projeto de formação está contido no projeto de vida. Na primeira categoria, a possibilidade de ajudar e cuidar constituiu para os sujeitos, assim como a valorização da EPTNM e do trabalho na área da Saúde e Bem-estar motivos para a escolha dos cursos. Em relação à última categoria, a possibilidade de se formar como forma de gratidão à família ou para cuidar dos membros da família é uma das expectativas que os sujeitos referiram nutrir ao final do curso. E, por não representarem nem motivos que determinaram a escolha, nem expectativas em relação ao curso, uma categoria “entre as razões e as expectativas” foi construída para a expressão das surpresas vividas pelos alunos ao longo dos cursos. As relações de constituição da identidade profissional, entendida como uma constituição histórica, social e cultural dos sujeitos, e que nos são reveladas pelos motivos e expectativas em relação a escolha de um curso de formação profissional vão nos permitindo acessar mais amplamente a missão da formação de cidadãos, pela EPTNM, e nos mantém atentos em entender quais os seus propósitos