作者/Natal’ya Galliott
編譯/陳孟嫻
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職涯研究與建議，趁早開始或不要開始
最近一期澳洲失業率調查顯示15至19歲年輕人的失業率為20.1%，該數值為澳洲全國失業率6.3%的三倍，然而在全球金融危機首年，這個年齡階段的失業率僅10.7%，約為現在的一半。
此現象代表著平均在五位積極求職的年輕人中，有一名無法找到工作。然而隨著找工作的時間越長，也意味著求職者越難進入職場。
雖說有些年輕人有父母的經濟援助，但統計數據顯示：弱勢青年相對而言比較難在離開學校後找到好工作或對社會做出經濟貢獻。
那些在升學、找實習或求職上遭遇困難的年輕人，一般在學術表現上也較不如人。他們在同年齡的勞動市場中是比較吃虧的一群，主因是現今的勞動市場對「低技術勞工」的需求早已大幅下降了。
政府正在研究如何讓學生們去思考自己想以甚麼工作維生，還有為什麼會想以這份工作維生。而在離校前已深思熟慮過他們職涯選擇的學生被認定在未來升學或職場上都有較高的成就。
為什麼有些學生無法確定自己的志向？
經研究調查新南威爾士州的700名高中生，發現不確定職涯規劃的學生們擁有相似的人格特質。
其中一個因素是過去的學業成就。舉例而言：有學術性入學測驗的的學校的學生普遍對於未來職涯有更明確的想法，而入學測驗成績在前三分之一的學生更優於其他學生。在後三分之一的學生則是較不清楚自己的職涯規劃。
其他因素還包括地區別和職缺種類。在都會區學生清楚未來職涯的比例較高，然而在都會區以外以及偏遠地區的學校發現學生對未來較沒有想法。
令人驚訝的是，在9至12年級中對於職涯不確定的學生們被指出從未參與職涯教育課程。這已經違背了澳洲課程評估與報告機構(Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority )的建議了！
這些不確定的學生也指出他們從未參與過任何學校規劃的職涯體驗活動。職涯體驗活動對於學生了解自身的職涯喜好是很有幫助的。
這些學生進一步指出，他們其實並不喜歡學校，學校沒有足夠的選修科目可以選擇。很多例子都是學生選擇了其他人建議的選修課程，而非自己真正有興趣的科目。
需要細心灌溉才能使種子發芽茁壯
為了幫助弱勢青年增進未來職涯發展，澳洲政府開始強迫學生留在學校並鼓勵他們朝大學發展。
然而更有效的方法是，能讓這些孩子對於他們未來的職涯感到興趣，還有讓學校的課程和現實工作更相關。
紐卡斯爾大學(University of Newcastle) 的研究員指出，年輕的學生比年長的學生擁有更遠大的抱負。他們認為應該在小學就該趁早給予學生引導，而非任其一路掙扎到高中。
如果能讓學校科目跟職場工作有更多關連性，學校教育會更有意義。教育體制應該確保學生在選擇選修課程前得到足夠的職涯教育，讓學生在正式做選擇前有更多的嘗試。然而目前很少教育機構做得到這點。
除了趁早提供職涯輔導，選修課程的選擇也應該忠實反映學生的需求及興趣。但礙於目前教育體制的諸多問題，在實行面是有困難的。
學術導向的學生滿意傳統學術科目如英文、歷史、科學、物理，資源弱勢的鄉下學校反而該提供更多樣化的選擇提升學生的學習意願。
如果學生無法找到任何有興趣的科目卻被強迫一直待在學校，這會是件危險的事情。對於這些學生，上學是索然無味的，他們因為無法享受任何科目帶來的樂趣而無從表現自我，非常有可能因此產生低自尊心、低學習成就，以及低職涯期望。
[ 作者介紹] Natal’ya Galliott
澳洲麥覺理大學教育博士候選人，現為中央昆士蘭大學法商學院講師。
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Career studies and advice: start early or don’t start at all
The unemployment rate for 15 to 19-year-olds is currently 20.1%in Australia. This is over three times the national rate of 6.3% and almost double the unemployment rate of this age group during the first year of the Global Financial Crisis, 10.7%.
This means that one in five young people is actively looking for a job. The longer they are unemployed, the harder it is to join the workforce.
Those who can turn to their mums and dads for financial support, do. However, statistics show that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds have the most difficulty in gaining meaningful work and contributing to our economy after leaving school.
Young people who experience difficulties making the transition to further education, training or work also tend to be less academically inclined. This makes it difficult for them to compete in contemporary job markets, as the demand for low-skilled labour is much lower than it was in the past.
Governments have been considering how to get students to think about what they want to do for a living and why. Students who think critically about their career choices well before they leave school are thought to benefit from improved further education and employment outcomes and make better choices than those who don’t.
Why some students are career uncertain
This is confirmed by a survey of over 700 high school students in NSW. Importantly, it found that students who were uncertain as to what they’d like to do in their future career share some important characteristics.
Prior academic achievement was a factor. For example, students attending academically selective schools were more certain about their future career path than students in non-selective schools, as were students who rated their academic ability in the top third of their grade. Students who ranked themselves as being in the bottom third of their grade were more likely to be uncertain about their career.
Location and job availability also appeared to have an effect. Higher proportions of students located in urban schools were certain of their future career, whereas students from outer-metropolitan and rural schools were much less certain.
Somewhat unexpectedly, those uncertain about their careers across all year groupings (from Years 9 to 12) reported never having access to a career education session. This is despite the recommended provision of career education to high school students in Years 9-10 by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).
These uncertain students also reported that they did not participate in school-organised work experience programs. These might have helped them determine their career preferences.
They also reported they didn’t enjoy school and there were not enough elective subject choices. In many cases, they made their subject selections on others’ recommendations and not because they were interested in them.
Good seed makes a good crop if looked after
In order to help disadvantaged youth improve their career prospects, Australian government initiatives attempt to force students to stay at school and explore the option of attending university.
However, something more effective is needed if we’re to get these kids interested in their careers and how their school studies relate to real work.
Researchers from the University of Newcastle note that younger students tend to have higher aspirations than older students. They recommend intervention as early as primary school, rather than waiting for students to flounder through high school.
Educating students, parents and teachers about the link between school subjects and possible career pathways can make school more meaningful. The education system should move towards ensuring that students are provided with career education sessions before they make their elective subject choices, enabling them to make informed decisions. At the moment, this rarely happens.
In addition to earlier provision of career advice, the choices of elective subjects should reflect students’ needs and interests. This is problematic because of existing problems in the education system.
While many academically inclined students are satisfied with traditional academic subjects such as English, history, science and physics, schools in disadvantaged communities must appeal to a much broader range of tastes, despite limited resources.
If students can’t identify any interesting subjects and are forced to remain at school, they are set on a dangerous path. School suddenly becomes less enjoyable, they underperform in subjects from which they derive no enjoyment and, as a result, they are likely to have low self-esteem, poor educational outcomes and poor job prospects.
[ Author ] Natal’ya Galliott
PhD Candidate in Education at Macquarie University
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圖片來源：《The Conversation》
原文經合作媒體：《The Conversation》授權編譯，未經許可不得轉載
