Social Contexts

• According to Venable (2011), all of our career choices take place within the context of society and the economy. Events that take place in our lives may affect the choices available to us and even dictate our

  choices to a certain degree. Further, Venable (2011) added that changes in the economy and resulting job market may also affect how our careers develop.
• The following are social contexts which influence career development:

  1. Socioeconomic Status

  2. Parents and Peers

  3. School Influences
• Socioeconomic Status - individuals coming from middle-income to wealthy families may have a wide

  range of career choices as compared to those who come from low-income families.
• Parents and Peers - they are strong influences on adolescents' career choices. Various factors influence parents' roles

  in their teens' career development. For one, mothers who work regularly outside the home and showpride and dedication to her job may influence her adolescent to take the same field.
• School Influences - Schools, teachers and counselors can exert a powerful influence on adolescents'
• Schoo:l provides an atmosphere for continuing self-development in relation to achievement and work. Further, they have the resources with which to help the adolescents meet their career guidance needs. It is through the school’s parents that the school will be most effective in developing collaboration with the teachers, guidance counselors and students.
• Teachers - as trusted adults, most adolescents approach them with their concerns and problems, many of which relate to their future aspirations. Teachers can offer solutions to their career concerns and can refer them to counselors for further discussion of their aspirations. In the classroom, they can help students have a glimpse of the world of work.
• Guidance counselor: are an integral part of the students' academic life, most especially during the senior high school. They have access to various students' data such as assessment results from entrance examinations, aptitude and personality tests, attendance data and counseling records which they can use to help students with their educational and career goals. Working one-on-one with the

  students, they pinpoint their interests, skills and abilities and link these to certain majors and careers.
• Career Choice is viewed by family, community, and the society as a start of job readiness for adolescence. This decision plays a major role in establishing career path