School counseling and guidance programs: Examination of career adaptabilities

Abstract

The role of school counseling has become prominent in supporting the youth for their future career and the business world, according to the requirements of 21st century and its emerging challenges such as Industry 4.0. Along with this, it will be a proactive attempt if school counseling curriculums aim to support some crucial competencies like career adaptability in responding the requirements of our era. This study examined annual school counseling programs to assess whether they include interventions enhancing career adaptability of students. By using maximum variation sampling, eight high schools that represented different school types and districts of Gaziantep were selected. Using a coding schema based on Career Construction Theory, the programs were analyzed via a computer-assisted program of Maxqda 12. The results revealed that the programs mostly included the interventions regarding Curiosity (n=265, %58), especially for self and occupational exploration. Next, Concern (n=161, %35) including preparing for future and orientation to future, Confidence (n=29, %6) including problem solving were observed, consecutively. However, Control (n=3, %1) and its descriptors were almost absent in the programs. The findings implied that school counseling programs should be enriched to promote the 21st skills, especially for decidedness, the sense of control over career future, persistence, autonomy and confidence, in order to support the youth in constructing their careers.