Earlier this summer I began researching the things that contribute to a young person’s career interests and the steps that they take in that direction. Part of the answer lies inside the person – what motivates or appeals to him or her. And part of the answer lies outside the person –what opportunities are available to him or her. To narrow down my question, I should say that my task is to understand the career paths that lead a junior high school student (ages 12 to 14) toward a future in science, technology or engineering.
With the help of a three year grant from the Engineering Information Foundation of New York I am involved in the survey phase of a local project to track down 1990 – 2010 participants in the weekend activities and summertime fieldtrips of CRV (Community Resource Volunteers). In particular, CRV wants to find better ways to get more girls interested in engineering, science and technology careers.
I am writing to you on two subjects. First I am seeking your observations, anecdotes or impressions about the sorts of things (outside the classroom setting) that often seem to influence a young person’s path. You have seen many kids over the years and some of them you may occasionally still hear about or stay in touch with. Besides your own personal and professional perspective, if you know any specific studies about what shapes a person’s career path (especially toward science, technology or engineering) please supply any details you may have.
Secondly, I am interested in understanding differences in motivations and opportunities that boys and girls see when they are looking at a possible future in science, technology or engineering. It is likely that there are some ongoing institutional and cultural structures that preserve the tendency for these jobs to be attract relatively few women and people from ethnic minorities. But for 12 to 14 year olds at the personal level of career decisions and aspirations, what general differences seem to set apart boys and girls?
I am also writing to some school counselors. But if you know teachers who may better be able to comment on what seems to influence a person’s direction in work life the most, please feel free to share my question request. I am writing a similar request to several teachers of my own town's high school that I believe may have some reflections about student career paths, too.
You may be interested in the attached Word Cloud that is created from a smaller 2008 survey of past participants. The words are grouped by size and location according to how prominent they were in the answers given to the question about how CRV activities influenced their own personal paths. It is a simple visual indicator of the value of the informal learning that CRV has been made possible for young people since 1987.
Your help in understanding the main influences on a young person’s career path will contribute directly to the significance of this study.
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Questions drawing on your experience, expertise and any related studies that you may know of
1. For 12 to 14 year olds at the personal level of career decisions and aspirations, what differences general seem to set apart boys and girls?
2. What sorts of things (outside the formal classroom setting) often seem to influence a young person’s path to science, technology or engineering?