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Career decision making is an ongoing process for young Canadians as new Statistics Canada data shows the uncertainty from youth to adulthood.
Decision making patterns were tracked in a Youth in Transition survey conducted from 2000 to 2010 in which data was collected every two years from the same respondents. Starting at age 15, participants were asked about their career expectations and few held to the career expectations they had as teenagers. Almost 10 per cent of 25 year olds kept the same career expectations that they held at age 15, while 6.9 per cent held the same expectations they had at age 17.
Only about one third made their choice during their early 20s and 15.9 per cent had the same career expectations from age 21. The survey found that 25 years old held a lot of uncertainty in terms of their career choices and more than 13 per cent of adults were still undecided about their career choice at age 25. The flip flop on decision making was typical for both females and males and factors in decision making involved parent priority placed on post-secondary education.
Nearly one-half of young adults whose parents valued post-secondary education reported either making a new career decision, 36.9 per cent, or being as yet undecided, 12.4 per cent. In contrast, more than two-thirds of youth whose parents placed a lower priority on post-secondary education were either making new decisions, 46.8 per cent, or were undecided, 19.4 per cent, as to their career choice.
Early demonstration of consistency in career decision was associated with earlier entry into post-secondary studies and higher levels of educational attainment at age 25, according to the data. Youth who demonstrated consistency in their career plans at ages 15 and 17 represented a higher proportion of those who entered post-secondary studies within 15 months after graduating from secondary school than of those who entered 16 months or more after graduating from secondary school. In contrast, those who remained inconsistent in their career choice up to age 25 were less likely to enter post-secondary studies within 15 months.
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