Students’ Choice of Major and Future Occupations: Implications for Education Policy

Flora M. Díaz-Pérez, Olga González-Morales

Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, Spain.

DOI: 10.4236/ti.2012.34033                

Abstract

The factors that determine and influence the choices made by male and female students with regard to their studies and future occupations need to be taken into account in decisions concerning the targeting of human capital investment and the type of policies to be implemented in order to facilitate the transition of young people to working life. In the present study we consider the role played by gender, individual career aspirations and school characteristics in young people’s subject choice in the education system of the Canary Islands (Spain). Specifically, the results indicate that, as a rule, Humanities are chosen by female students who hope to obtain employment in a subordinate post and who study in non-urban public schools in which the careers teacher is not part of the management team. In the other hand, Science & Technology are chosen by men who study in urban private schools in which the careers teacher is part of the management team, and their main occupational aspiration is a managerial position.

Keywords

Young People; Working Life; Gender; Individual Career Aspirations; School Characteristics; Managerial Position

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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