To Be Successful and/or Comfortable? Parental Career Expectations and Chinese Undergraduates’ Career Indecisiveness across Gender

This study explored the association between two parental career expectations (reward/prestige and comfort/stability) and career indecisiveness with the moderation of gender in 523 Chinese undergraduates. We found that women undergraduates perceived lower parental reward/prestige and higher comfort/stability expectations than men. Perceived parental comfort/stability expectations on career indecisiveness were significant for men but non-significant for women. Results indicated a three-way interaction among parental expectations of reward/prestige, parental expectations of comfort/stability, and students’ gender in the prediction of career indecisiveness. For women, perceived parental comfort/stability and reward/prestige expectations had a significant interactive effect on career indecisiveness. Perceived parental reward/prestige expectations were positively associated with career indecisiveness only when they perceived higher levels of parental comfort/stability expectations. For men, perceived parental comfort/stability and reward/prestige expectations had no interactive effect on career indecisiveness. We addressed the importance of joint influences of differential parental expectations on young adults’ career decision-making across gender.

The Associations between Childhood Experiences and Occupational Choice Capability, and the Mediation of Societal Gender Roles

Experiences in family, school, and social life during childhood are associated with gender roles and occupational choice capability. This study examines how competent individuals are in occupational choice capability and the relationships of childhood experiences and gender roles with their competencies in occupational choice capability. The research is composed of 805 individuals aged 18 and older, who reside in Turkey. In the research, we used the Personal Information Form, Childhood Experiences Scale, Gender Roles Attitude Scale, and The Scale of Occupational Choice Capability. The SPSS 25 program and PROCESS-Macro were used to analyze the variables. The relationship between the scales was investigated using Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. According to the findings we obtained, individuals’ family and school life were positively correlated with their career choices, and family function sexism harmed their choice of profession. We also found gender roles had a mediating role in the relationship between school life and career choice.

The Effect of Managerial and Leadership Training and Simulation on Senior Nursing Students’ Career Planning and Self-Efficacy

Introduction

Enhancing nursing students’ professional knowledge and integrating simulation and clinical training into students’ education may affect their career planning and development.

Objectives

This study aimed to explore how managerial and leadership training and simulation affect career planning knowledge, career choice, and self-efficacy among senior nursing students. Additionally, it explored how students perceived the training they received.

Methods

This study employed a mixed methods design for collecting quantitative and qualitative data about the training. A quasi-experimental design using a pretest and posttest with a convenience sample of senior nursing students ( N = 80) at a Saudi nursing college guided the quantitative part. Nursing students were introduced to a managerial and leadership training and simulation intervention focused on career knowledge. The career planning questionnaire and a self-efficacy scale were used to collect quantitative data before and after the intervention, and the open-ended questions were used for qualitative data about the training they received. For the quantitative data, we used descriptive and inferential statistics, and for the qualitative data, we used content analysis.

Results

After the training sessions, nursing students’ career planning knowledge and self-efficacy scores were considerably enhanced, with a significant difference and positive associations ( p < .001). Four themes were driven from the qualitative analysis: student engagement, experiential learning and reflection, the teacher's role as facilitator, and teamwork.

Conclusions

Knowledge and preparedness are essential elements for career planning and development. Nursing curricula should provide students with ongoing educational opportunities to help them enhance their career planning and self-efficacy. As well, nurse managers play an important role in shaping the career paths of senior undergraduates and internship nurses. Career counseling sessions and career activities can be scheduled frequently before graduation and during the internship year, which is essential for prelicensure and orientation.