A Study of Career Consciousness of Vocational college students in Japan

センモン ガッコウセイ ノ キャリア イシキ ノ ケンッキュウ サイチャレンジ センリャク ニ チュウモク シテ

ウエダ, カツエ

Ueda, Katsue

オオサカ ダイガク ダイガクイン ニンゲン カガク ケンキュウカ キョウイクガクケイ

Department of Education, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University

キャリア意識

進路形成

-vocational college

career consciousness

career path

This paper explores how the career consciousness of vocational college students is defi ned, and what kinds of school experiences infl uence their career perspectives. The study is based on a qualitative analysis of students’ narratives. The survey used in this study was based on a questionnaire developed by Sekiguchi in 2001. A total of 52024 students from 350 vocational colleges in Japan completed the questionnaire for the present study. Thereafter, semi-structured interviews were conducted among of 21 vocational college students and 3 teachers from three vocational schools in Osaka, between July in 2010 and November in 2012. These participants were questioned as to (1) their reasons for attending a vocational college and, (2) the infl uences on their career paths. The major fi ndings of the study are as follows― First, students attending vocational schools wanted to obtain not only vocational credentials but also academic ones, such as junior college and university degrees. Second, some of the students were under suspension, and, they did not want to work or stay at school. On the other hand, students who wanted to transfer to university were attracted to meritocratic values. Cramming for entrance exams was also appealing for students, while cooperative work experience and teachers enhanced their aspirations. These results indicated that educational reform, the popularization of higher education, economic recession, and diffi culties in fi nding work had a great impact on students’ career consciousness. Learning at vocational schools signifi es “re-living high school” and students think of it as “re-starting”. Following this analysis of qualitative data I aim to undertake quantitative data analysis in 2013 The study also indicates that vocational college provide many curricular, which helps students make career path in post secondary education.