Work experience quality and vocational development

Gamboa, Vitor; Paixão, Maria Paula

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/1917

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Authors

Gamboa, Vitor

Paixão, Maria Paula

Abstract(s)

The provision of workplace-based experiences (internship/placement) is an important component of the training program of students attending technological and professional courses (VET), in secondary education. Regarding the effect of such experiences in vocational development, research results are not conclusive enough, mostly, if we consider the theoretical expectation that work experiences clearly affects the vocational development of adolescents (e.g., Dawis, 2002, 2005; Lent, Brown & Hackett, 1994; Mitchell & Krumboltz, 1996; Savickas, 2005; Super, 1957; Super, Savickas & Super, 1996; Vondracek, Lerner & Schulenberg, 1986). As a corollary of this observation, the main purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between work experience quality and students vocational development. Using a longitudinal design (pre and post - internship), we conducted a study (N = 346) that explores the relationship between perceived qualities of the training experience (IQE - autonomy, colleagues feedback, social support, task variety, learning opportunities, instructions clarity, training, supervisor feedback and support ) and career exploration (CES – Stumpf et al., 1983; Taveira, 1997), career decision-making (CDS– Osipow, Carney, Winer, Yanico & Koschier, 1976; Silva, 1997), Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE-SF (Betz, Klein & Taylor, 1996; Silva & Paixão, 2005) and career commitment (CCCS Blustein, Ellis & Devenis, 1987; Silva, 1997). The results suggest that the quality of work experience is relevant for the vocational development of students, mainly, in what concerns the process of career exploration.